Greed
by Espionage Commitment
Summary: Mayu Hidari's life fell into slow motion the day her innocent client was found guilty and sent to death row. She vowed to walk away from criminal law forever; however, when her childhood friend is faced with a charge of murder, she has to step back into a world of objections, sympathetic juries, and most ominously, a judge hellbent on greed.
1. Justice

**Hey, this is the second to last story of my 7DS Evillous Chronicles (sorta) series. I have no idea why you want to read a vocaloid court drama, but if you're into that, go ahead. There is a part 8 if you've read the entire series! Anyway, I'm going now. Bye.**

Justice didn't exist.

A lot of things they taught me in law school didn't exist. Reasonable doubt, impartiality, a longing for truth, just to name a few. No one really longed for truth, did they? People just wanted the truth that most convenienced them, so they could blame somebody, anybody, for all the unlucky things that happen to them. I was the same, deep down, but that didn't stop me from looking at people who passed me in the street with suppressed contempt. One of these passersby could be on a jury any day now, conducting their own brand of justice. One of their children could grow up to be a judge or a prosecutor or a police officer or a defense attorney, and they could ruin people's lives at the prospect of a few thousand dollars. When my mind strayed to unpleasant thoughts such as these, I tried to remember all the good people I've met. When that didn't work, I drank a glass of wine. I hated wine. It messed with my stomach.

Look at these people in front of me. An old man in a black robe sitting above everyone else, trying not to dose off. A man in a suit, a machine deployed from one of the great let's-wear-suit colleges on the east coast, who probably wished he was with any woman besides me right now, in a courtroom, harping on and on about justice. Another man, reeking of whiskey and indifference, lounging back in his chair without sparing a glance at the person whose life he played a hand in making shittier. Look at these people. Was this justice?

"Furthermore," I continued animatedly, addressing His Honor in all his righteousness, "even _if_ Mr. Pire provided his workers, such as my client, with the BK-201 safety gear and tools he claims to have kept available for them in every stock closet on sight, the BK-201's heat shield still could not contain flames of three thousand degrees Fahrenheit, as it can barely hold together at temperatures of two thousand, as is detailed in the company's safety report I have here." I paused, holding up the report to the judge and then the entire courtroom. There were only two observers in the rows behind us (the wife of my client and one of the five attorneys of the accused who could not fit into the designated bench).

Taking a deep breath, I was about to recite my final page of my arraignment speech when Judge Carter lifted up a wrinkled hand. "Ms. Hidari," he rasped, "I am going to allow the defense to make a rebuttal here."

Concealing my huff of disappointment, I took my seat and turned toward my client. He was a young man, newly married, who had been nothing but kind to me and his fellow person for the majority of his life. I patted him reassuringly on the back, and his sweet smile in return was crooked, thanks to the first degree burns that ravaged seventy percent of his body. Justice, yeah, right.

The lead attorney stood up and said eight simple words. "We wish to settle for the amount demanded."

"Well, there you have it," Judge Carter announced and smacked his gavel on the raise platform so he felt better about himself. "The details will be handled by the representatives of the parties. Court dismissed."

While my client and his wife thanked me for the nothing I did, I nodded and smiled as graciously as I could muster, eyes fixated on the scales of justice suspended above the judge's bench.

H&Y was the firm my best friend from childhood and I created when we were fresh out of college and ready to take on the world. In the three years since, we have managed to draw in zero new attorneys, so basically it was just Yuka and me. That was probably a good thing. Sometimes, talking to Yuka felt more like taking on a national conglomerate of toddlers, not that I minded all that much. She had my back, and I had hers. That was all that mattered. Mayu Hidari and Yukari Yuzuki. All that mattered.

Stepping into our one room offices, I kicked off my heels and collapsed on the couch, there to make our clients feel comfortable. Despite all my complaining, we really had a nice setup. We got work. Plenty of it. It was one of the perks of being stationed in the city, though both our homes were actually in the suburbs half an hour away. No, I couldn't let my mind wander to home. It wasn't even noon yet.

"How did the hearing go?"

I jumped, craning my neck to see Yuka, head poking out behind a pile of papers taller than her. "They settled," I replied.

"You don't sound too happy about that," she observed, an impish smile on her face. She always loved to comment on my happiness, and how I lacked a great deal of it. She thought that if I came to terms with it, I would be able to move on, be a happier person, and maybe not yell at her for not completing her paperwork.

"I am overjoyed," I replied sarcastically. I swear I wasn't always like this. Just recently, very recently.

"I got a case you might be interested in," she continued.

"Divorce or libel?"

"It's murder."

I groaned, facing the back of the couch. "How many times do I have to tell you that I gave up criminal law?"

"As many times as it takes for you to un-give up criminal law."

"You can take the case. You're just as good as I am."

"I lack your passion."

"That's hard to believe."

"You know it's true. We are polar opposites in the courtroom."

"That's good, then. That means you'll win."

"You lost _one_ case, Mayu."

"I'd lost cases before, but this one was different. I've lost faith in the system, Yuka. There's no getting it back."

I could feel her eyes boring into my back. Three months had passed since that case closed, condemning an innocent woman to death, all because of _him,_ that bastard. That corrupt, disgusting judge. Yuka didn't understand. She never looked into that man's soul and found the very heart of all things evil staring back at her.

"Are you going to see her again today?" Yuka asked, finally changed the subject.

"It's a Wednesday, isn't it?"

"It certainly is."

"Good luck on that case."

"…Thank you."

Before I felt daylight's productivity slip further from my fingers, I forced myself to get up and put back on those chafing shoes. I glanced in the mirror that rested along the wall. Golden eyes devoid of that fire Yuka was talking about looked back. My hair, a unique blend of wispy blond that bled into a rainbow of colors at its ends, had become disheveled, and I fixed it with a few dispassionate movements. What I wouldn't give for a glass of wine.

In the crammed and dirt-caked cubicle of the city of Ava's largest prison, I tapped the metal counter nervously. I was always nervous when I came to visit. Nervous of what she was going to say, nervous about what _I_ was going to say, nervous that we were another week closer to the execution, though it would probably be years away.

An industrial moan filled the room for a moment, and then the rattling of chains. Luka Megurine sat down with surprising grace into the seat across from me, partitioned off by a glass window. Her hands were cuffed together with long chains that linked to the chains on her ankles. A faceless guard came over and undid them, if only for a little while. Gray was such an unbecoming color for a woman so young and beautiful.

"Good morning, Ms. Hidari," she greeted with a smile. I tried to gauge her physical health, ready to sue the hell out of this prison if there was anything more than a scratch.

"Good morning, Luka," I replied with a spritely smile. "How're they treating you?"

"Just fine. The woman in the cell next to me and I have grown pretty close. We'll watch each other's backs."

"That's great. You should make as many friends as you can."

"Did you have an appearance today? You're all dressed up."

"Yeah. Open and shut case."

Luka Megurine was charged with the arson of her apartment complex as well as double first degree murder for her landlord and her young son who died in the fire. It was an accident, but justice didn't believe me. Call me gullible, but from the moment I met Luka, I knew she was telling the truth. We had a connection; maybe we were even _friends._ It was an accident, and now she was going to be injected with poison until she died.

Justice didn't exist.

All of her remaining family live on the other side of the country, so I decided to take it upon myself to visit, every Wednesday. It was the least I could do for failing her.

We chatted for a while. Neither of our lifestyles exactly brought on new or exciting situations, but we did our best at filling the designated visitor time with stories, some not entirely true. Most of my experiences came from childhood, when I had a great deal of happiness.

"Thank you for coming, Ms. Hidari. I hope you know how much I appreciate it," Luka said after the guard informed us that time was up.

"It's my pleasure. I'll be back next week."

The clattering of chains. The industrial moan of an alarm.

As I left the prison, I passed by a couple of people in the hallway. I kept my head down, but I couldn't help but catch a few of their words.

"She was young. Like, twenty-five or something," one man said.

"How awful," replied the woman. "I wonder if they have a suspect—"

I grabbed my personal items from the front office and was on with my day.

My parents loved to tell me how nice my house was, whenever they came to visit from just across town. It _was_ nice, two stories and hardwood floors and fireplaces, but it consumed me in its emptiness. One person wasn't meant to live in a house like this.

I trudged myself straight to my room when I got home from work that Wednesday. The answering machine next to my bed was blinking red, and I pressed the button so it could play as I got changed out of my plain dress and jewelry.

 _"You have 1 new message._

 _Beep_

 _Hey, Mayu! It's Rin. I hope you didn't forget that this Friday is the first of the month. You know what that means! Let's meet at the usual place. I left Yuka a message already, but you know how much of a space case she can be. Maybe you can remind her tomorrow. Okay, I'll leave you to your brooding now. I'm looking forward to seeing you again! There's something I have to tell you._

 _Beep_

 _You have no more new messages."_

Flopping down on my bed, I couldn't help but snag the picture frame off my nightstand and trace my fingers over the faces that smiled through it. The photo was of my three ultimate childhood friends and me when we were about seven years old. Yuka was there, of course, the tallest of all of us. Then there was me, then Rin, and finally Rin's twin brother. My eyes lingered especially long on him. The siblings had matching golden yellow hair and bright blue eyes. I smiled.

I poured myself a glass of liquor from the bottle I left laying under my bed. Ah, another day finished, another day waiting for me. Curling up with my picture frame still beside me, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

The phone was ringing. God, what time was it?

Eyes barely open, I fumbled for the phone and held it up to my ear. "Hmmmm, what is it?"

"Mayu, I have a case for you." It was Yuka.

"Why are you calling so early? It better not be criminal."

"Listen, it's a murder case, but you would want to take this one. Your client's waiting for you at the seventh precinct."

"Why?"

"Because it's Len, Mayu. It's Len."

I sat up and brushed the hair out of my eyes. There was a moment of silence when my mind tried to wrap itself around what name she just said. I took a deep breath. "Which precinct was that again?"


	2. The Creek

The fact of the matter was that a woman was dead long before she should have been.

The radio inside my little car informed me of this as I drove into the city well above the speed limit. It told me quite a few other things, too. Things that would soon become my life, that would soon haunt my thoughts and my dreams if I ever had them. In my whole twenty-seven years of living, I had never experienced a dream. This was probably for the best, because if I wasn't already jacked in the head before, this case would have certainly beckoned a few nightmares out of my imagination.

Her name was Miki Star, and she was twenty-five years old. She was an editor at a publishing company I had definitely heard of before with a family and a roommate and plenty of friends. Two nights ago, a little girl had stumbled upon her body in the creek that flowed near her house. Eighteen hours later, a suspect was brought into custody. The police refused to give out any more information about the case besides the probability that it was a murder.

Gemini Creek was the name of the location where Miki was discovered. It took me a second, as I rode past the buildings growing higher and higher and the trash that crawled across the street like tumbleweeds, to realize that I'd been to that creek before, a long time ago…

I was eight. Maybe seven. My hair was so long, it skimmed the top of the log I was sitting on. With eagerness, my tiny hands turned a page of the book I was holding in my lap. The boy reading over my shoulder smiled when he thought I wasn't looking. His name was Len, and we were pretty alike. We liked reading, we liked the silence, and we were fairly sharp.

All of these qualities were not necessarily shared by our two other companions, Yuka and Rin, who stood in the creek twenty feet away from our log. They had hiked their shorts up so they wouldn't get wet and were in the process of trying to catch a fish with their bare hands. If their constant screeching and shouting were any indication, they weren't being very successful.

"Come here," Yuka chided the sliver of silver coming her direction. "Come here, fishy. I got you. I got you—!" It slipped past her knees. "Dang it!"

"All your yelling is breaking my concentration," Rin whined.

"That's funny, because all of _your_ yelling is breaking _my_ concentration," she replied.

"I'm not yelling!" she yelled.

"Mayu, tell her she's yelling!"

I looked up from my book and said, "You're both yelling." You see, when Yuka and Rin got into these little disputes, they usually turned to me because 1. I was the oldest (by a whole three months!) and 2. Their only other referee candidate was Len, and they didn't think a _boy's_ opinion counted for anything.

Rin pouted and went back to her hunt. I turned to Len and asked, "What do you think's going to happen next?"

"Huh?" he responded, cocking his head to the side. Back in those days, he had a little ponytail in the back. It was cute. Super cute. His mother made him chop it off in sixth grade.

"In the book, of course!" I held it up for emphasis. It was a fantasy, and I was under the impression that even though boys' opinions weren't quite as reliable as girls', they still counted for something if the boy was like Len.

"Um," he squeaked. "Ummmm."

"Were you even reading?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah! Of course I was." He looked away, cheeks growing a bright red. I could always tell when he was lying.

While I was pretending to be angry and forcing myself not to smile, Rin had begun whooping excessively. "Guys! Guys, look! I caught one!"

Lo and behold, there she was, a fish as big as the tiny girl's face writhing about in her hands. She held it above her head, constantly on the precipice of letting it slip through her fingers. Yuka awed at it, a little jealous. I, admittedly, was a little impressed. I didn't think it was possible.

All of a sudden, Len hopped off the log and splashed into the water. Marching right up to his sister, he tried to wrench the fish out of her hands. There was a struggle, a Hundred Years War Level struggle, until eventually the fish flew through the air and made it back into the water. He swam away instantly, scarred for life.

"What was that for?" Rin shouted.

"He couldn't breathe! You were killing it!" Len replied.

"But he was _my_ fish! You're so mean!" She waded through the creek until she reached my log. Heaving herself up, she laid down on my lap and said, "Mayu! Len cares more about fish than his own sister! Please, be my sibling instead!"

"There's a simple solution," I announced, patting her on the head. "If he loves fish more than you, then you must _become_ a fish!" And with that, I gently pushed her into the water. What I did not anticipate was how hard she was holding onto me, and I ended up tumbling into the creek as well.

Soaking wet, we both got to our feet and began laughing. Yuka and Len were laughing, too, until an inhumane howl came from above.

Oh God, what was it? A bear? A coyote?

Yuka's mother broke out of the tree line with fire in her eyes. "You stupid kids! You're going to get a cold! Get out of there immediately—!"

Someone was honking at me. How long had that light been green?

Blinking back the memory, I drove on, eyes wandering to all the military posters that lined every city block.

 _"Wars Aren't Won with Guns. They're won with you!"_

Yeah, right. With me.

Purse and pockets: emptied. Pat down: initiated. Paperwork: signed. Detective: spoken to. Shit: together (sort of).

The second I saw Len Kagamine for the first time in five years, I told myself I couldn't do this. But, I was already in the room and the door was already snippily shut behind me and he was looking at me now and there was no turning back. There was no turning back.

Len looked just about how I expected him to, slightly older but basically the same, save for the handcuffs around his wrists and that look he gave me. There was a lot in that look. Even if I had an encyclopedia of Len's expressions, I don't think I would have been able to pinpoint that look. One thought ran through my mind as I awkwardly stood there a moment too long: _Who put him in a place like this?_

"Len," I said a bit too breathlessly. "It's been a while." I strolled to the chair across from him at the little metal table, the only piece of furniture in the tiny room.

"Five years," Len replied, a mirthless smile on his faded face. "I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was back in town."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." I took a deep breath. "Sorry if you wanted Yuka and not me. She didn't give me many details on the phone."

"No, it's fine. I wasn't sure…" he trailed off.

A moment of silence. "What the hell happened, Len?"

"I don't know. I guess—" He ran his hand through his hair. "I guess Ms. Star was killed. She's dead."

"Miki Star was your editor, then?" Len was a writer, you see. Rin told me his publishing company was in Ava a long time ago.

"Yes, b-but, Mayu, I swear I had nothing to do with this." He finally looked me in the eyes. There was so much fear there.

"Obviously," I said. Len seemed taken aback by that answer. "Now, do you have any idea why they arrested you? What evidence they have?"

"They didn't tell me much…"

"That's alright. It's fine. I'll take care of it. That is, if you want me to. Do you want me to represent you, Len?"

"This is really happening, isn't it?"

I tried to imagine Len spending the night in a holding cell, but I just couldn't. A lot of things were missing. "It would seem so, my friend."

"Well, in that case I'd like the best. If you wouldn't mind, could you be my lawyer?"

I smiled. "Of course. I'll get the papers all ready. You wait here." I stood up, hands clenched together in fists.

"Mayu?" he asked as I was halfway out the door.

"Yes?"

"How are you?"

This was all happening so fast. For the past three months, nothing went fast for me. "I'm good. I'm happy."

He let himself relax for a second. "Good. That's good."

I was a fool for thinking he was the same person as he was five years ago, but even if I hadn't seen him in fifty years, I could put my faith in the fact that the boy who wouldn't let the fish die would never take the life of a person. I had faith in little else.


	3. Start

Let's just say it. Let's just throw it out there. At one point, way back in college when Len Kagamine was still in my life, I may or may not have been _in love._ There. I said it. Now, I am sorry to inform you that this was a long time ago, and I had moved on by the time Miki Star was found in the riverbed. Five years had passed, after all. To think that you would assume I could cling to a man for so long. How pathetic do you think I am?

 _"You're pretty pathetic,"_ Yuka texted me as I caught the elevator of an apartment building. It warmed my heart to see such an encouraging message as I was shot up seven floors in this rickety metal box of doom and coffee stains. You see, I had just finished explaining via text that no, Len and I did not in fact collapse into each other's arms and no, we did not confess our "long-suppressed and passionate affections."

I didn't even reply. I wasn't in the mood.

The elevator doors shuddered open, and I swiftly clacked my way to Rin Kagamine's apartment, semi-confident in my sense of direction. Before I went in, however, I had to lean against the wall a moment.

I wasn't going to think about it too much—the fact that for the past few months I had been thriving on the idea that the justice system had failed me. If I thought about it, I wouldn't be able to do this, walk back into a criminal court and win. I had to win. Simple as that. So I wasn't going to think about it. A list of other things not to think about: most things to do with Len, Yuka's smug insinuations, and the pharmacy of anti-depressants nested in my bathroom cabinets.

Rin opened the door approximately two milliseconds after I knocked. Her appearance hadn't changed much over the years. She still wore her golden hair short, just as she did her skirts. Her blue eyes still gave off the idea that she usually got what she wanted, but today they gave off something very different. Very different indeed. I soon found myself absorbed in her arms, her face buried in my neck. No, her appearance wasn't the only thing that hadn't changed over the years.

"Mayu! Is he alright? Tell me he's alright," Rin sobbed.

"He's alright," I said, closing the front door. Weary of neighbors.

"Are you saying that because I asked you to say it or because it's true?" she asked, not consoled in the slightest.

"Really, he's fine. Just confused and scared is all. A normal reaction."

" _Just_ confused and scared? Oh, my poor baby brother, and you. It must have been so awkward seeing him again in these circumstances. I was going to tell you that he was back. That was the _something_ I mentioned on the phone. God, it must have been awkward." She had stopped clinging to me like a life preserver and was heading for a mirror in the living room so she could reapply her make-up over her puffy face.

"Yeah, it was pretty awkward." I laughed mirthlessly.

"I mean, _so_ awkward. I probably would have died."

"Haha." This was going to be a long day.

"But you're going to defend him, right? Right?"

"Of course."

"Thank you! Oh, thank you, Mayu!"

"It's… really no problem. Calm down now. Let's sit down. I'd like to ask you some questions."

"Alright. I'll be calmer once I had a glass of water. Do you want anything? Some wine?"

"N-No thank you." For some reason, I flushed. What was this? Shame?

As Rin disappeared into her kitchen, I sunk down onto her threadbare couch. The apartment was nice, I thought, but Rin seemed to be a bit embarrassed by it. She had fallen onto some hard times, losing her job in sales about a year ago. Now she was a waitress until she got back onto her feet. She always reminded me that she'd be back on her feet any month now. Any month had yet to come

She came back into the room and sat across from me, tapping her glass of water to a little tune only present in her own mind. "What do you have to ask? I'll tell you anything if it helps Len. I'm an open book."

"Can I record this conversation?" I pulled out my recorder and placed it on the table.

"Y-Yes, of course."

"Alright." I pressed a few buttons, and we were good to go. "How long has Len been back in Ava?"

"A little over a month," she replied, leaning close to the recorder and speaking a bit too loudly.

I held up my hand, assuring her the recorder could handle it without her help. "Why did he leave the south?"

"I don't know, really. He'd wanted to come back for a while."

I turned off the recorder for a moment. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"Uhh." Rin avoided eye contact. "I don't know."

My eyes bore into her for a few more seconds before I turned back on the recorder. "Miki Star was his editor. Had he mentioned her to you at all?"

"Sometimes. Just, in casual conversation. When I asked him about work."

"How long had she been his editor?"

"Two years or so.

"Where was Len the night of the seventh?"

She didn't respond.

"Rin?"

"U-Uh, sorry. It's just that it's been a while since I'd seen you in lawyer-mode. You get quite scary."

I softened my face and tried not to stare too intensely. It was difficult. "Sorry. This has all been a shock. My brain hasn't even registered it, I think. I just want to fill in the gaps. Find the truth.

"Don't kill yourself over this." She tapped her glass, a smile spreading across her face. "Len was here, by the way, the night of the seventh. We ate dinner together… Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well." I sighed. "That's good and bad. He has an alibi, but if I call you up to testify, the prosecution will no doubt insinuate that since you are his sister, you would lie to save him."

"What? The prosecution would do that?"

"They'll do a lot worse than that. Rin, this is going to be a trying process. When it comes to murder trials… They're never pretty."

"When's the trial?" she asked.

"Well, hopefully, there won't be any trial. The first arraignment is in a week, and after that there'll be a preliminary hearing. That hearing decides if there's enough evidence to go to proper trial, and since there isn't, Len should be home before long."

"I get it! Since he didn't do it, there won't be enough evidence, and we won't go to trial."

I smiled. "Yes, since he didn't do it."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that scenario was only the ideal. I didn't have the heart to tell her that her brother may not come home ever again.

The next day was a Friday, and that was when I was informed of who exactly would be the one trying to put my friend in the electric chair. They called this high-rolling prosecutor The Bear. I think that speaks for itself

The Bear, as I soon learned for myself, was in fact not a bear at all, but a woman. However, as I sat stiffly in her office late in the afternoon, the nickname seemed awfully appropriate. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander to all the peculiar knickknacks that laid on her desk. An alligator jaw. A stuffed rabbit. There was something very animalistic about the place, despite all the walnut furnishings and expensive, leather-bound books. Then again, there was something very animalistic about a courtroom.

Meiko Ursa stood behind her desk and looked over her office like she was an empress observing her kingdom. This made me her subject, and all the jaded disillusionment in the world couldn't have shielded me from feeling a tiny bit intimidated. Though, I doubt I was as intimidated as she wished me to be.

"Have you gotten the arraignment date yet?" Meiko asked. She spoke briskly at all times as a rule. Everything about her was brisk and busy, the opposite of me in many ways. She was tall and emanated maturity. Her brown hair was cut short and straightened to perfection. She wore her skirt suit as if it were comfortable.

"Yes, I did," I replied with controlled courtesy.

"Good, and you know how to get the autopsy?"

"I _have_ been in a few criminal courtrooms, Ms. Ursa. I am stopping by the police station right after I leave here."

"Let me save you the trouble." She pulled several files out of her desk and dropped them on the desk. "Autopsy and police case files. They are all up-to-date, I assure you."

"How… thoughtful of you." I gingerly picked up the papers and laid them in my lap. "I suppose you aren't confident that this will go to court."

She laughed, high and shrill, but my stony face didn't flinch. "I don't need confidence, Ms. Hidari," she exclaimed between bouts of laughter. "I just need common sense, and so does the jury. I plan on bringing this case to court, and I plan on winning. Don't tell me you're planning on pleading not guilty?"

"I see," I said, standing up. "This may be more difficult than I first assumed. Yes, we are pleading not guilty, and no, we are not open to plea deals. Sorry to take up so much of your time; I just wanted to get acquainted. I have a feeling we will be taking up plenty of each other's time for a while."

"I like you, Ms. Hidari," she said. "You seem like the kind of lawyer who doesn't succumb to petty temptations. That's an essential quality to have, considering _whose_ courtroom we'll be stepping into."

My heart sank. "And _who_ exactly is that?"

"Didn't you hear? It's Kaito Taro, of course."

"Kaito… Kaito Taro. Kaito Taro," I repeated in a bit of a daze.

"So, you've met him, have you? Well, don't worry. I like to win fairly. It's so much more fun."

"If you'll excuse me…" I placed my files under my arm and stiffly left her office. My stomach was swirling, and a lightness traveled up to my chest and into my head. My mind kept reverting to Len, a man I'd known for almost all my life, whose name I scarcely didn't think about every single day. An innocent man, and not just that but the very best man I'd ever met. Of all the people in all the world why did Len Kagamine and Kaito Taro ever have to be in the same room together? Ever have to be mentioned in the same breath?

There's only one thing you need to know about Kaito Taro. One indisputable fact. Kaito Taro liked money, you see. He really, really liked money.


	4. By Candlelight

Miki Star was stabbed seven times. Left cheek, throat, right side of chest, twice in the stomach, left hip, and left wrist. The cause of death was blood loss. The time of death was roughly 7:10-7:20 P.M. the evening of March 13. One day later, her body was found naked in the stream by a nine-year-old girl named Yuki Kaai. They think she wasn't dumped right away. Len was arrested one more day after that.

I closed the autopsy report and rested my head against the steering wheel a moment. The arraignment scheduled for tomorrow loomed at the corner of my mind along with an even stronger foreboding regarding the preliminary hearing, whenever that would be. One step at a time, Mayu. One step at a time.

Sliding on sunglasses, I stepped out of my car and looked up at the Ava County Jail with a distinct craving for a glass of wine. I wouldn't say that I had a drinking problem, just that sometimes I would _maybe_ have more than one glass and I couldn't risk my mind drifting from perfect lucidity at a time like this. Not when Len was on the line. So, I suppressed my intolerable impulses and clicked (That was the sound my heels always made. _Click click click_ —) my way inside the grungy building. Then, I rode the wave of trivial procedures until it brought me at last, about half an hour later, to the cell block where Len was supposedly residing. It was gray and dirty and quiet. What else can I say?

A guard had to accompany me to the end of the hall, where Len's cell was located. I told him not to worry. I had been in a few jails before. _Click click click_. As I passed the hundreds of bars, making sure to keep to the center of the corridor, the quiet gradually dissipated.

"Woah," one prisoner exclaimed as I clicked past. "I didn't know they made lawyers that look like that. Officers! Hey! I'd like to request that one!"

"Shut up," the guard beside me barked.

"Who're you visiting?" asked another man, face zigzagged by the shadows of bars. I didn't reply.

There were a couple other, well, "comments" that I prefer not to repeat. God, I didn't miss this part of the job.

Len was sitting on his bed that was drilled to the floor, which was next to his empty shelf that was drilled to the floor and his little toilet that was (guess what?) drilled to the floor. He seemed surprised that it was me, as if I didn't tell him over the phone yesterday that I was coming at about this time. For a second, as my guard friend fiddled with the lock, I hoped he didn't hear all that garbage from earlier. That was too much to hope for.

I leaned against the cold brick wall across from him, hesitant ad ever to say anything. Despite having several days to get used to the idea of Len being my client, I still couldn't quite grasp it at times like these. He was wearing plain gray pants and a plain white, long-sleeved shirt, his jumpsuit nicely folded at the foot of his bed. His face was pale but unscathed. "How're they treating you?" I asked eventually.

"Fine," he replied.

"All set for the arraignment?"

"I think so."

"Do you have any questions?"

He shifted slightly, frowning. "How much do you think bail will be?"

"It won't be good, Len. Not for a murder case, especially because of the presiding judge. I want you to be prepared for that." Guilt seeped into my veins—guilt for being in freedom while he was here. Guilt for a lot of things. "I'm sorry."

"You know the judge?" he asked.

"Yes… Don't worry. I can handle him." A moment of silence. "I still have some questions, if that's alright."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course."

I sank to the ground, crossing my legs to get comfortable. He smiled slightly at this, and I beamed back up reassuringly. I got out my recorder and hit _record_. "When was the last time you heard from Ms. Star?"

"Umm, it was four days before I was arrested. She called me."

"What about?"

"Just—asking when the next draft would be finished."

"That's it?"

"Well—yes, basically."

"How was your relationship with her?" I continued.

"M-My relationship? Friends, barely. More like acquaintances. She was nice, nicer than my last editor."

"Now, I'm going to ask you something that I have to ask you. Please, understand. You and Ms. Star—were you in any kind of…" I moved my hands around. " _Romantic_ relationship ever?"

"No! No," he replied. "Nothing like that."

"Good," I said without meaning to. "I-I mean, suspicions are more often put upon the victim's significant other or past significant others."

"Yes," he said, avoiding eye contact.

"Alright, moving on. The afternoon of the murder was March 13. That's two days before you were arrested. Can you tell me what all you were doing that day?"

"Well, I spent the day mainly working on my next draft for a novel I'm working on. Umm, I went out for a walk at around 7 P.M. and then I went over to Rin's apartment. She let's me sleep there sometimes. I don't know, my apartment gets too… quiet."

I rubbed my temples. "So, you weren't at Rin's for dinner?"

He shook his head.

"7 P.M., you say?"

"Is that bad?"

I closed my eyes and envisioned the autopsy. _"T.O.D. 7:00-8:00 P.M."_ Oh, Rin, why did you lie? "It's nothing to concern yourself with at the moment. You should just focus on tomorrow's arraignment. I should also tell you that the police have a warrant to search your apartment. They'll be doing that Friday. What else, what else? There's going to be a candlelit vigil for Ms. Star tonight. I'll be going to that. Hopefully, I can meet the family and friends and gauge how they feel about your arrest before they realize I'm your lawyer."

"Are you leaving now?" Len asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. I have to visit one of my old clients." It was a Wednesday, after all.

"Yeah, of course. Of course." He still wasn't making eye contact.

I hopped to my feet, stretching my back and snagging my recorder. "Is there anything wrong? Well, specifically?"

He stood, too, eyes downcast. "They shouldn't talk to you like that," he said quietly.

I glanced back at the row of cells behind us and, realizing what he meant, began to laugh. He finally looked at me, surprised as he often was. "Don't worry about me," I said. "I can hold my own."

"Yeah, I know you can," he said, smiling.

Squaring my shoulders, I looked him straight in the face and extended my hand. "Defense Attorney Mayu Hidari, pleased to work with you."

He took my hand and shook it slowly. "Len Kagamine. Thank you… for everything."

It was very rare for me to wear casual clothes. Then again, it was very rare for me to want to. However, showing up to a memorial service for a woman I never met was uncouth enough. If they found out I was a lawyer defending the man they in all likelihood believe killed her, well, the press would go batshit. The press was already going batshit as it was.

 _"Len Kagamine: The Monster Behind the Murder"_

 _"Falling Stars Light Up Ava's Sky: The Life and Death of Miki Star"_

 _"Savage Stabbing Culprit Due For Arraignment"_

 _"Culprit,"_ not _"Suspect."_ Culprit. God forbid the press leave a case like this alone. It's not like I had enough to worry about.

As I leaned against the cool bark of an oak tree, I tipped a few pills into my mouth, just to keep me awake. I wasn't staying awake too well this past week, but I didn't exactly sleep well, either. Straining my eyes, I watched the crowd of people milling about the park with interest. It was around nine at night, and the glow of their candles was my only way of catches their faces. I recognized at least a few of them from the TV or from the case file. Pulling out some photographs from my hoodie pocket, I brought them up close to my eyes. The first picture was of Miki and her roommate, Lily. They were smiling, pretty young girls. Miki, however, looked a bit more professional with her sleeked-back vibrant orange hair and business casual white dress. Lily, on the other hand, well… She wasn't afraid of showing a bit of skin. Her long, blond hair and piercing blue eyes were easy to spot even in the candlelight tonight. She was smiling broadly, greeting everyone and handing out candles. It was her idea for the vigil, apparently. I wondered if anyone told her that vigils were usually for missing persons and not...

The second photo was of Miki and her mother, who looked nothing alike at all. The file said nothing about a father. In all likelihood, she was adopted. I looked at that picture a long time.

"Do you have a candle yet?"

I jumped out of my skin, banging my head against a tree branch and hiding the photos in my pocket. Lily Mosh was smiling at me, a candle in her extended hand. Making sure my hood was secure, I took it and thanked her.

"You knew Miki? I'm sorry that I don't recognize you. There are a lot of people, it turns out, in Miki's life who I didn't know," she said, her smile faltering a bit.

"She was more of a friend of a friend," I replied in a low voice. "I'm sorry for your loss."

She waved her hand. "The only one who should be sorry is that man. I don't think I'll be able to sleep until they tell me he'll be in prison for the rest of his life."

"Prison?" A new voice startled me from behind yet again. If those pills hadn't woken me up, I was certainly awake now. I turned to see another woman, much older than Lily, towering above me. I lifted my candle up to light up her face. Its sternness made me apologize immediately and step back from her personal space (though, _she_ was the one who cozied up close to _me_ ). No doubt about it. It was Miki's mother. She continued as if I didn't say anything. "Len Kagamine deserves the electric chair. I will accept nothing less."

"Ms. Star, I didn't realize you had arrived. Take a candle." Lily took another one out of her basket and sparked it to life with her lighter.

"I don't need a candle," she replied. "I need my daughter back. I need the man who killed her and everyone allied to him to rot in hell. Vigils are for missing persons anyway. Miki is dead."

Lily said nothing to that and merely reapplied her smile. They seemed to know each other well, but not exactly in a friendly manner. "Suit yourself. I'll be visiting with the other guests now. Nice to meet you…?"

"Who cares about her name? Go on," Miki's mother answered for me. Lily complied, blond hair bouncing away and back into the crowd of people. I expected the mother to leave as well, but to my surprise, she held her ground. "You leave, too," she said, face undecipherable by the darkness. "I won't be able to restrain myself next time you invade family matters, Mayu Hidari."

"How…?" But I stopped right there, feeling the coldness in her silhouetted eyes. I turned away and began trudging through the grass and back to the parking lot, her eyes following me, it would seem, the whole way. By the time I threw myself back into my car, I had broken out into a cold sweat. Never had I felt such enmity from another person before. Never had I felt such fear. Pulling out the photographs again, I looked over Miki's mother and realized that some of that malice had spilled onto the paper. Even with her arms wrapped around her beautiful daughter, there was something empty in her eyes.

Her name was Mothy Star. I would have sworn we had met before, but I think I would have recalled meeting someone so jagged. She looked sort of like Lily. Long, blond hair, blue eyes. I didn't like her. I know that sounds horrible, considering what she was going through, but nothing could dissuade me of this feeling, the base instinct telling me to stay away. First Kaito Taro and now her. The world was full of people who scared the hell out of me.


	5. The Bastard

Settle down, Mayu. Settle down.

My appearance was perfect, not hair out of place. I knew this and yet that didn't stop me from fiddling with my uncomfortable dress and my uncomfortable heels every few seconds. Today was exceedingly important. It was the day of first impressions. It was our first day in court, the simple and procedural arraignment. Every word that would leave my mouth from the moment Kaito Taro stepped into that courtroom was rehearsed and pinpointed as the most advantageous diction and connotation. Justice wasn't about truth, you see. It was about impressions.

A list of other uncomfortable things in this exact moment: the incessant beats of pain drumming away in my head, this cold metal seat, the fact that the guard on this jail transport bus wouldn't stop looking at me, and the idea that Len Kagamine was going to die by lethal injection.

Oof, that last one didn't do well for the old nerves.

The bus was more of a truck, chilly and crude and smelling like murderer. Benches lined the back of the truck-bus, chains looped through the floor like forgotten jump ropes. We—that guard and I—were on Ava County Jail grounds, waiting for the accused to hop on board the Prison Train so we could zoom off to the courthouse. My eyes were closed so I could review the procedures one last time.

The bus shuddered and light poured in. I opened my eyes to see Len being escorted in, head down, jumpsuit and chains and all. It was painful to look at, really, but I wasn't here as a friend too traumatized to see him like this. I was his lawyer. So, after they pinned him up to the chains on the floor, I put on my best smile of confidence, until he finally looked up. My smile dropped.

"What the hell happened?" I asked as they closed the back door and started the engine.

A bruise the size of a large fist blotched his left cheek and reached all the way up to his eye. It wasn't there yesterday. He smiled sheepishly. "It's nothing, really."

"One of your fellow prisoners did this?" I asked in a low voice.

"Y-Yeah, but really, it's nothing. It doesn't hurt or anything."

"Did they give you antiseptic?"

"Yes, yes."

I ruffled through my bag and pulled out some foundation and blush and the like. "Officer," I said to the guard. "May I…?" He nodded sternly, and I got up to sit next to him. The bus was in full motion now. "Here, we should probably hide that. The press is going to be there and… They have, as it is, enough to form their baseless assumptions off of."

"O-Okay. Yeah, go ahead," he said.

Why did it have to be so dim in here? I opened up the foundation and gingerly dabbed a little on his face. He winced. "Ah! Sorry, so sorry," I said, pulling away.

"No, keep going. It's fine," he replied lightly.

Of course, I didn't believe him in the slightest. However, the courthouse was approaching fast. I could feel its self-righteousness in my veins. I could feel all the reporters lined up and ready for their first footage of the "Monster Behind the Murder." I could feel their grins as they labeled him an insurgent who couldn't be docile for even a week inside jail. Frown burrowing deeper into my face, I continued the best I could. Not to brag, but I did a damn good job, I think. I had to learn a thing or two about makeup during law school. Justice is impressions, remember? During the whole operation, Len closed his eyes and clutched the metal seat with perfect patience. It was probably for the best that I wasn't able to see his blue eyes. We were a little too close for comfort at the moment…

"Finished! You look good as new," I announced, immediately sliding to the bench across from him.

"Thanks," he said, a light mist of red on his cheeks.

Come on, guys. This man stabbed Miki Star seven times?

The bus screeched to a halt, nearly knocking me to the ground. "We're here," the guard said redundantly. I could hear the rambling of many people just outside the back door.

"Are you ready?" I asked Len.

"I think so."

The guard came over and released the chain tying his handcuffs to the floor and brought him to the exit doors. I joined them, placing one hand on Len's shoulder, ready to push him through whatever mess awaited us on the other side. The doors creaked open and—

"They're coming out! They're coming out!"

We stepped down from the truck (well, I pushed Len off the truck) and began swiftly walking toward the courthouse doors. In approximately one half second, a circle of reporters convalesced around us like moths to a flame. They should have been charged with assault on the senses, in my opinion, but freedom of the press, as far as I knew, was still considered a thing. Nothing said freedom like an old-fashioned murder.

"Mr. Kagamine! Have you signed a confession yet?"

"Do you deny the charges laid forth against you?"

"Ms. Hidari, how are you pleading?"

"Where did you kill her?"

" _Why_ did you kill her?"

Just as I instructed, Len kept his mouth clamped shut the entire time. He was to look as neutral as possible, considering any expression could be misconstrued as something else. I, of course, did the same, except with the occasional "no comment" under my breath. Cameras were being shoved in our faces. Flashes were going off every few moments. I didn't miss this part of the job either.

Was there any part of the job I actually missed?

The moths followed us inside but were forced to stop once we reached the elevator. Len had tripped over his chains once or twice, but other than that, he was perfect. Impressions, impressions. Who knew how many jury members would be watching the news tonight.

"You all good?" I asked as the elevator slowed to a halt.

"Yes, fantastic," Len replied, a bit out of breath. The doors opened. "They all think I did it, don't they?"

They don't care if you did it. They just want the most interesting version of the story."

" _Everyone_ thinks I did it."

"I don't," I said sharply. "Rin doesn't. Yuka doesn't, and soon enough, twelve more people will think the same."

"Alright," he conceded. He was scared. So scared. I could hear it in his voice.

We sat at the bench outside Courtroom No. 7 and talked about the weather and how flattering that prison uniform looked on him. He smiled once or twice at my teasing, but no one could make him not think about what was to come. No one.

Footsteps were coming toward us. I was too exhausted all of a sudden to look up. "Well, I expected Mayu to look gloomy, but Len too? Come on, old friend, let's get it together."

I stood. "Yuka. I thought you had a prelim today."

She smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "What? I can't see off two of my oldest friends into battle? It's only an arraignment, you know. You don't have to be so nervous."

"It's not the arraignment itself that I'm so worried about…" I replied. _It's Kaito Taro._

"Don't let the bastard get you down, Mayu. You said Ms. Ursa was straight, right? There's nothing to worry about."

"The bastard…?" Len asked. I suppose he wouldn't make the connection. He would, soon enough.

The bailiff poked his head out the door and told us it was time. Yuka flashed us one last grin, went up to Len, and slapped him on the shoulder. "You have the second-best lawyer in the world. Good luck out there."

"Thanks," he said.

I took a deep breath, reminding Len to remain close behind me at all times. The bailiff let us in. The court not being open to spectators at arraignments, the vacuous room before us felt so empty. Only Meiko was there presently, along with a few faceless assistants. She gave me a ravenous look that would have made me feel like crippled prey if I wasn't so goddamn tired of it all. I was never supposed to be back in a court like this, but in a way, I felt like my whole life had been leading up to this case. Maybe I was always meant to be here, in this room, with these people. Maybe.

We waited in silence until the doors opened once again, letting in the few people allowed to be there. Rin came in, taking her reserved seat behind us. She gave us both pats on the back and whispered something into Len's ear. Meanwhile, Miki's family, which consisted of Mothy Star and a half dozen people I didn't recognize, sat on the prosecutor's side. Mothy looked over at Len with those cold, cold eyes, and he visibly shivered. The clerk took her position.

At last, the door behind the judge's towering bench flew open, and the room fumbled into a quiet more tangible than before. Footsteps. Rustling. A man popped up behind the bench, a man with royal blue hair and devilishly handsome features. Mid-forties. Smiling. He basked in the courtroom's morning light a moment, relishing every moment of undivided attention we were all bestowing upon him. I pointedly made sure to not give him the satisfaction, opting to stare into my lap instead.

After a long moment, he said in a playful tone, "All rise." We stood. Well, here I was again, under the gaze of Kaito Taro, powerless. He knew how much I hated him, surely. That was why he kept looking at me. "Let's keep this quick, shall we? You may be seated." We all fell back into their seats. Another moment of silence. So much for keeping this short. "Len Kagamine's counsel may stand." I obeyed, barely. "Mr. Kagamine, is this your counsel?"

"Yes," he replied clearly.

"Alright, that's enough of that. Ms. Hidari, your client's plea? Though, I think I can guess what it is."

The clerk was tap-tapping on her keyboard, allegedly recording everything. However, I noticed, whenever Kaito went slightly off-script, her hands suddenly stopped moving. Great. Even the clerk was against us. I took a deep breath. "My client, Len Kagamine pleas—"

"Ms. Hidari," Kaito interrupted.

"Yes?" I asked. It may be worth noting that Kaito Taro made me a very sarcastic person. Hardly anything I said in his presence sounded sincere at all. I would have to change that for the trial.

"How are you?" he continued.

"How… How am I?"

"Yes," he said. Nothing more.

"I'm well."

"Good. Carry on, then."

"My client, Len Kagam—"

"Ms. Hidari."

"Yes?" I held back the annoyance from seeping onto my face.

He let us wait in suspense a few more seconds, a habit that had only been reinforced since the last time I was in his courtroom. Finally, he said, "Meet me in my chambers." Then, he banged his little gavel (as _if_ that would make any difference) and disappeared behind his bench once again.

I sighed, picking up my suitcase and giving Len a look that hopefully conveyed "don't worry," but in all honesty, I was filled with such unadulterated rage that it could have very well been translated as "AAAAHHH." Meiko watched me carefully as I went by.

Kaito Taro waited in his office with his back to me. Back at Luka's trial, I had been invited here exactly once, though the prosecution came along with me. It hadn't changed at all, really, save for a picture frame reclining on the corner of his desk. A little girl with cyan pigtails was beaming up at me, her frilly white dress blowing in the wind against a startlingly blue sky.

"That would be my daughter," he said, though I had no idea how he could have known I was looking at the picture.

"I wasn't aware you had a daughter," I replied, taking a seat.

"I wasn't aware you had a handsome childhood friend." He twirled around in his chair, bangs falling over his blue eyes. I didn't respond. "How is Ms. Megurine doing, by the way?"

"She's as you would expect."

"Oh, she must be dreadful, then. A pity. You've been quite dreadful yourself recently, I hear. You quit criminal law, and yet when I overheard your name at the precinct… It didn't take long to figure out why."

"Bravo. Is this all you wanted to discuss?"

"I'm an advocate for second chances, Ms. Hidari. You have a second chance here. This time around, I hope we can be frank with one another." He twiddled his thumbs a bit and reclined back, taking up a staring contest with the ceiling. "250," he said.

"I expected it to be much higher," I commented.

"I'll be willing to lower it 150, however," he continued, "if you would like."

That's $150,000, by the way. "Let me guess. An official 100 to the system, 50 to a certain someone's personal bank account."

"What you're suggesting, Ms. Hidari, is illegal. Naughty girl."

I would have to throw up later. "I am merely translating your muddled speeches. I am in fact declining the offer."

His eyebrows rose. "Really? Your obscure novelist boy has hundreds of thousands of dollars stowed away and yet he chooses to live in an apartment for three hundred a month? Forgive me, but I doubt it. I suppose he'll have to spend the duration of the trial in jail, then. Trials like this are so long, aren't they? It would be a shame for more blemishes to appear on his face like the one you so hastily covered up this morning."

"It'll be paid," I said shortly.

"You sure?"

"Perfectly."

"You're not going to compromise your platitudes for your dearest friend's life?"

"Hm, let me think about it. Ah—no."

"Sarcasm befits you well, Ms. Hidari. I am looking forward to hearing a great deal of it from you in the coming weeks."

"My wish is your command, Your Honor."

A pause. "You are dismissed, then," he said. I got up, taking one last look at the picture frame of the little girl. What it must be like to have a father like this. As I walked to the door, Kaito remained perfectly still, clutching his chair with strain I hadn't noticed before. Two more words reached me before the door slammed shut behind me. I took them to heart. They reverberated in my mind throughout the rest of the day. Through the bail being set at $250,000, through lying to Len that the bail bonds people agreed to help pay, through taking out a great deal of money from my own account and adding it to what funds Len and Rin scrounged together, through organizing his release for the next day, through lying awake in my bed, unable to fall asleep. Those words held a secret, a secret I ran headfirst into the second I decided to be Len's lawyer.

"Game on."


	6. Old Friends

Game on, indeed.

A small smile betrayed my otherwise sullen manner. Why, you ask? Why, when it would seem His Dishonor was expressly pitted against me? Why, when he clearly had an ulterior motive to take this case and has informants feeding him anything and everything about my personal life? Why, on God's Green Earth, would I feel the slightest spark of satisfaction?

It's because I won this round. His Dishonor didn't anticipate Len making bail. He thought that just because _his_ whole life revolved around money, I would hesitate for a second to throw away my own. You underestimated me. Ohoho, game on, old man. Game on.

I was startled out of my internal victory speech by the opening of a door. Standing up from the uncomfortable jail lobby seat I was trapped in all this time, I straightened my skirt suit ( _God,_ I hated these things) and smiled ever wider as Len walked into the room, a guard looming behind him like a rogue shadow. When he saw me, he lit up, undeterred by the guard behind him, removing the cuffs and chains like solving an elaborate puzzle box. When he was finally free, I had the overwhelming urge to run up and hug him, or at least shake his hand, as old acquaintances were supposed to do. However, I had been battling a lot of urges recently, and that one died with one glare from the receptionist.

"Sorry Rin couldn't come," I said as the guard sulked away. "She had a shift."

"That's fine. I already asked her if I could spend the night at her place," he replied, gingerly touching his wrists. The police were still utilizing their search warrant to its full capacity at the moment, ransacking his apartment from top to bottom.

"Here's a change of clothes that she gave me." I handed him the pile I was subconsciously hugging to my chest. "Um, I'll get your valuables while you go and change. Then, I can give you a ride to Rin's place, if that's alright."

"Yeah, thanks," he said a bit breathlessly. We looked at each other a moment before heading off our separate ways.

My sense of victory faded considerably in the passing fifteen minutes. After all the papers were signed and Len and I were reunited, we were at last released into the warm spring air. I gave Len a second to take it all in. It had been eight days since his arrest, after all. Eight days all alone…

"My car is parked down the street," I said.

"Right." Len looked much better now that he was in a simple T-shirt and jeans, as opposed to that ghastly jumpsuit. He seemed _realer,_ somehow. It hit me as we exited the jail grounds that this was actually happening. Len was back. He was right next to me.

"Listen, Le—Wait a second." I spotted something (or rather, some _one_ ) walking down the opposite side of the street. My eyes narrowed. Yes, it was unmistakable. Like there would be two men in Ava with that ridiculously stupid purple hair. Then I saw the uniform. " _There_ you are," I whispered.

"Huh—?"

Grabbing his hand, I rushed across the street and up the sidewalk toward that son of a bitch. "Gakupo!" I called. He stiffened and began walking faster. "I know it's you! You've been avoiding me, you bastard!"

It was no use. I was faster than him, even with a discombobulated Len in tow. Since he was a good half foot taller than me, I had to hop up to grasp his shoulder, but that did not make my grip any less agonizing. Gakupo let out a little shriek, robotically turning toward me with an innocent smile on his face.

"Why, hello, Mayu. It's been a while," he said. "How's the law firm going?"

"Fantastic, considering my _one_ man on the inside hasn't been answering my calls."

You see, Gakupo Kamui was a police officer, a pretty bad one at that. Anyway, everyone at the precinct couldn't stand him because he had the nasty habit of stealing everyone's girlfriends and fiancés. Don't ask me what women saw in this pile of flammable garbage that laid before me. His fellow officers hated him so much that they framed him once for planting evidence. I was his unfortunate lawyer, but he turned out not to be complete horse manure once he stopped hitting on me. We both needed a friend, it would seem. Though, some friend he'd been this past week.

"I can explain everything…" Gakupo held up his hands. "Wait, who's that?"

"That's my client. Len, this is Gakupo Kamui. He's horrible in every way."

"Ouch, I'm wounded."

Len, finally getting ahold of himself, extended a hesitant hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Aw, he's cute," Gakupo cooed, shaking his hand with forced ferocity. "What he lacks in height, he makes up for in innocence. That's a great quality to have in a murder case."

"How did you know it was murder?" I asked skeptically.

"W-Well, it relates to the reason why I'm not supposed to be talking to you right now."

"Explain."

"There seems to be a conflict of interest. The prosecution is, um, calling me up as witness," he said.

" _Excuse_ me? Why would she be doing that?"

"Apparently, I was the last to see the girl alive. What a coincidence." He shrugged.

"You're serious right now?" I scanned over his face to make sure he wasn't screwing with me. "I can't believe it. When did you see her?"

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say…"

"You know I can find out with the police files I'm court-ordering."

"Yes, but I am under direct orders, unfortunately."

My heart dropped. Of course. "The police really hate me, don't they?"

"Aw, _I_ don't hate you. Doesn't that count as anyth—?"

"No." I sighed. "Well, it seems you and I, old friend, are at war and on opposite sides. I wouldn't mind so much if it was any other case. I'm sure you've heard the name Len Kagamine before from Yuka. I'm surprised you haven't made the connection yet."

He cocked his head to the side, looking Len over up and down. Len had been struck silent a while ago, observing our conversation intensely. I was so looking forward to explaining everything to him on the way to Rin's apartment.

"Oh!" Something dawned over Gakupo's face, then shrunk away into a corner to die. _"Oh."_

"Good luck with the Bear, old friend. I'm sure she'll absolutely love your coquettish attitude toward anyone of the opposite gender."

"I can't tell if that's sarcasm or not," he whimpered.

"Good." I pivoted on my heels and began walking away. Len followed behind sheepishly, not wanting to disturb my seething.

Something was wrong with Luka today. She kept tapping her fingers against the wall, you see, and, (I wasn't a psychiatrist or anything, but) every word that came out of her mouth seemed drenched in dissatisfaction. I could tell because I was forced to hear my own voice every day, and it sounded pretty much like melancholy recitation I was receiving at this very moment.

"And that's pretty much been my week," Luka finished, tapping the wall a couple times for good measure. _Tap, tap, ta-tap._

"Why do I get the feeling that you're hiding something?" I asked with a sigh. I didn't mean to sigh. I meant to smile, like I usually did, but some actions were beyond me. The more I learned about the prosecution's case through the files I'd been painstakingly court-ordering, the more my ability to pretend diminished. It wasn't looking good, my friends. Not good at all.

"I'm not—" But then she stopped. Her pink eyes dulled; her expression softened. Putting on a small grin, she said, "My appeal lawyer quit yesterday." _Tap, tap, tap._

"That prick," I mumbled.

"I know the court of appeals won't review my case for several months, but I still feel like I'm back to square-one. I don't know where to look for a new lawyer."

"I'll make some calls," I promised. "I'll find someone who can actually read. It would seem like that last one of yours couldn't." Of course, the real reason no one would take her case was because of the judge who initially presided over it. People who questioned Kaito Taro's judgement had a tendency to… fade away.

"Thank you. You've always taken great care of me, Ms. Hidari," Luka said. "Now, how's that new case of yours? Isn't the preliminary hearing soon?"

"This Saturday," I replied. "It won't be easy."

"As long as the prosecutor plays fair like you said, you should have the charges thrown out right away. What were they, again?"

"First-degree murder, mutilation of corpse, kidnapping, and false imprisonment."

"Ouch. Quite a regime."

"They would have pushed more for rape if they had any evidence. I'm glad they didn't. It would have made the whole trial much harder for Len, I think."

"Len seems like a good man." _Tap, tap._

"Yeah, well, it doesn't matter if he is. What matters is the opinions of twelve strangers. Sorry, Ms. Megurine. I shouldn't sound so dour. _You're_ the one in here, after all. If anyone has reason to hate the system, it's you."

She looked at me tragically, and I couldn't reciprocate my gaze from the shame. How could I devote my life to something so flawed? No, I had to quit thinking like that. For Len, I had to stay focused.

 _Tap, tap, ta-tap, tap._

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

How old was I? Ten. Yes, I must have been ten at that time.

I was in my bedroom, a pink monstrosity at the very end of the second-floor hallway. The door was locked from the outside. I wasn't to leave under any circumstance, besides for walking directly to and from school and dinner. Everything else was expressly off-limits while I was grounded. "You're lucky you got off this easy," Mother had said. As I laid on my bed and stared at the white ceiling, I didn't feel very lucky at all.

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

All I did was give a homeless man some money. It was _my_ allowance, anyway. I could spend it how I pleased.

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

He needed it more than I did. I felt like being homeless would be very difficult indeed.

 _Tap._

Okay, what was that infernal noise? I sat up and opened the window blinds, expecting to see a bird or a squirrel or something banging its head against the panes. My eyes widened. Nope, not a squirrel.

I hastily opened the window and leaned out. "What are you guys doing here?" I shout-whispered.

Len and Yuka waved from the night-fallen grass of my backyard. Yuka dropped the pile of rocks in her arms. "We're here to save the princess from her tower! Right, Len?" She elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ouch! Uh, r-right!" he replied.

"Really? Well, this tower _has_ gotten pretty boring." I ducked my head and stepped out onto the outside ledge. From there, it was a simple hop onto a tree branch, then the rain barrel, and I was on the ground. "Hello, my princes."

"You came down too soon! I was going to say 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!' It was gonna be great," Yuka complained.

"I'll remember to be saved slower next time," I replied. "Where's Rin?"

"She's waiting at the hideout," Len said. "Why were you grounded?"

"I'll explain it all on the way, but we should probably get going before my parents notice three kids in the backyard."

The hideout was a treehouse on the Kagamine property, about a fifteen-minute walk from my house. Yuka and Len came prepared with flashlights that danced across our feet as I talked about the homeless man and my mother and father's insipid reactions. I got that I wasn't supposed to approach strangers, but for some reason, I was so angry for their punishment. Deep down inside, I felt like they were also punishing me for what happened with Grandma's will. She left most of her money to me, you see, when she passed. I didn't really care, but my parents cared a great deal. Who would have known that the money would help pay the bail of the boy walking next to me this autumn night, years and years later?

"So, you visited this homeless dude regularly?" Yuka asked as she hopped the fence into Len and Rin's backyard.

"Yeah… Sorry I didn't tell you guys."

"It's alright," Len replied, next to break onto his own property. "I get why your parents don't want you to do that, though."

"I know." I sighed, heaving myself over and landing in the grass. Now, I felt a little bad. I shouldn't have made Len—and my parents—worry. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

A light flickered in the treehouse window. Giddily, we all climbed up the towering oak and crammed ourselves inside. Rin was already there, of course, Monopoly board all set up. Yes, the pinnacle of my rebellious childhood was Monopoly in a treehouse at ten o'clock at night.

We played for hours, never running out of laughter or stamina. It was pretty cutthroat, if I recall correctly. Rin tried to force Len to team up with her and pool their money. However, I had the same agenda, and in the end Len chose to team up with me instead. Despite Rin and Yuka's best efforts (and the occasional embezzled few five-hundred-dollar bill from our faithful banker Rin), Len and I won in a landslide. As they sulked, us winners celebrated with two victory lollipops before it was decided that I should best be going home.

 _Tap, tap, ta-tap._

"Is something wrong, Ms. Hidari?" Luka asked.

"No, nothing. Just remembering something," I replied. Right on cue, a guard came over and placed a hand on Luka's shoulder. It was time to leave.

"Thank you again. Come back soon."

"Next Wednesday. I promise."

When I left the prison behind, the spring breeze hit me, and for a moment I was confused about where I was. Right, had to get back to the office. I drove there with my fingers tapping against the steering wheel to a song I don't remember ever hearing.


	7. Home Invasion

March 13 went a little something like this.

At 8:30 A.M., Miki Star wakes up for the last time. Her roommate and friend from college, Lily, wakes up fifteen minutes later. They eat breakfast together. Len Kagamine wakes up at around the same time. His schedule for the day is simply to work and edit.

9:10. Miki leaves to go to the office. 9:30. She arrived. There's nothing especially abnormal about her that day, but for the past few weeks she has been acting jumpy.

9:45. Lily leaves for nursing school.

12:15. Lunch break with co-workers. Josephine still hasn't broken up with her good-for-nothing boyfriend. Get it together, Josephine. Get it together.

3:15. Miki leaves work.

3:35. Miki presumably arrives back at apartment.

3:45. Lily arrives back at apartment. They have a conversation about their days, and Miki tells Lily that she is meeting with Len Kagamine that night over dinner to discuss his new manuscript. She does not specify which restaurant.

5:20. Miki leaves the apartment again to run some errands and then theoretically meet Len.

6:00. Miki Star is seen for the last time alive. Officer Gakupo Kamui sees her fidgeting around his department. When he goes to ask her if there was a problem, she stumbles away.

6:30. Len eats dinner alone in his apartment.

7:00. Len goes out for a walk. It is between this time and 8 P.M. when Miki is killed. Her body is thrown into the river shortly after that.

7:30. Len arrives back home.

9:15. Len arrives at Rin's. He plans to stay the night in her guest bedroom.

11:30. Len and Rin go to sleep.

Midnight. Lily calls the police.

"They wouldn't find the body until the next day," I finished and slammed my finger against the _stop record_ button while simultaneously making a left turn. My wheels as well as the woman in the SUV behind me screeched. What a day to be alive.

Some anti-war protest was going on in the city that day. I thought for sure I was steering clear of it, but even all the way on the outskirts, drifters with pickets were scurrying about. Politics never interested me, but one thing I could say for sure was the war made Ava more hellish than it was before. So, I gave a passing protester a little salute and continued on my way with my mind wandering back to dates and times and names and Len.

Len was doing alright, if you were wondering, all things considered. I saw him almost every day to give him updates and ask him questions and train him for getting up on the stand when ( _"if,"_ I reminded myself) this case went to trial. I realized quite suddenly as I began clicking my way through a parking garage that I hadn't spoken to Yuka in at least three days. When was the last time I saw her again?

Maybe I was obsessing too much over this.

Nah.

Len's apartment building was a two-story complex covered in graffiti and unidentifiable brown _stuff._ He _did_ say it was temporary until his new book finally hit the shelves, but still, compared to the pictures of his house he had down South that Rin showed me every once in a while, this place… Considering everything that'd happened, it would have been better if he'd never set foot in Ava again.

Apartment 17 was on the second floor. Using my handy-dandy key that Rin (ever the provider of Len-related items) bestowed upon me, I pushed in before the mosquitoes could coordinate an attack and almost fell straight on my face. A bookshelf was killed in action, laying on its side at my feet, its contents missing. Turning on the light, I realized just how hard the police partied with that search warrant of theirs. It was bad. Rin-and-Len's-21st-birthday-party bad.

There was hardly an inch of open carpet, every piece of furniture toppled to the ground. The books from the murdered bookshelf and all other items in Len's possession were splayed across every corner of the two-room apartment. Now I understood why Rin didn't want to be the one to retrieve the book she lent him a week before the incident. Her funny little request finally made sense to me. Curse you, Rin. Curse you.

"Oh, great…" I mumbled to myself, immodestly hopping over some chairs to reach the first pile of books. "What was it called again? It was something stupid that I couldn't pronounce." I rifled through the pile until I was certain it wasn't there. God, my back was starting to hurt.

As I prepared to descend deeper into the hellscape that was Len's apartment, a glint caught the corner of my eye. Sighing, I caved into my curiosity and changed course. It turned out to be a picture frame. The captured image inside was the exact same photo I had on my own bedside table. It was the four of us, young and undaunted, arms wrapped around each other. I found myself smiling and placed it upright on the only standing table in the room. Now, before I became any more of a stalker, I had to find that book.

It may be noted that Len didn't exactly know I was here. Oh, well. Lawyer-client confidentiality.

All his silverware was piled up in a corner behind the cabinets, except the knives. They must have been confiscated when the police blew up their bomb in here. I would be finding out what else they took soon enough, once I get my evidence list from the oh-so-efficient DA. Calm down, Mayu. Just find the stupid book and get out of here.

 _Matryoshka_ was in a pile by the bed, intermingled with Len's own original novels. I recognized them right away, all six of them firm occupants of my own bookshelf at home. Taking a seat on the bed, I looked over the cover of his first published book and opened it up. He dedicated every story to his sister. Yeah, a cold-blooded killer, indeed.

I grabbed Rin's book and was halfway through the jungle of furniture when I saw someone through the window that led to the outside corridor. Lily was on the sidewalk. She glanced up once at the building and began to climb the metal stairs. Why would she be here?

Panicking, I climbed my way over to the front wall and peeked out the window. When Lily made it to the second floor, she immediately walked over to Apartment 17 and jiggled the doorknob. Locked, of course. I had done the deed myself. She looked around in exasperation and began storming back to the staircase as I opened the door and called, "Lily Mosh! Ms. Mosh!"

She whipped around, eyes betraying her quickly-applied smile. "Ms. Hidari."

"I'm surprised you're not upset with me, considering I'm defending the man who you think killed Ms. Star. Then again, this isn't a place you're supposed to be is it? I suppose we're even," I said.

"I-I was just curious to see where he lived is all. I don't know why," Lily replied hastily.

I cocked my head to the side. "Really? Because it seemed you knew exactly where his apartment was despite never being here before. You didn't even glance at the room numbers or anything." I tried my best to be confident, but seeing her sort of knocked the wind out of me.

"That's not true," she denied. "A-And even if it was, I don't have to tell you everything. Showing up to the vigil like that. Don't you have any shame?"

"You're trying a little too hard to be like Mothy Star, Ms. Mosh. I know you're going to be a key witness for the prosecution, but we're not in court quite yet. I'd like us to be honest with each other. I want to find the killer just as much as you do."

"Unlikely."

"If Len Kagamine didn't do it and is sent to prison for it, then the real murderer would still be out there. Don't you want to be sure?" She looked at me, wild-eyed, for a moment and then starting bolting down the stairs as fast as her orange heels could take her. "Just keep an open mind, Ms. Mosh!" I shouted.

Well, that could have gone better.

I gave her a few moments to get away before venturing down the stairs myself, Rin's book in hand. In a tiny corner of my mind, I asked myself a question that had been plaguing me from the start. Plaguing everyone, really, except the answer to the question. Whoever that is was probably laughing somewhere, laughing as he or she watched me fumble for evidence.

Who killed Miki Star?


	8. Why We Lose

Yuka would tell me later on that the reason we lost the preliminary hearing was because of my lack of confidence. Personally, I think we lost the preliminary hearing because somehow, Kaito Taro got his gavel wedged so far up his puckered ass crack that no matter what Ms. Meiko Ursa vomited onto the courtroom floor, the outcome would have been invariably the same. That's what I told myself. The real reason, I believe now, is that quite simply, the one who really kidnapped and murdered and falsely imprisoned Ms. Star was smarter than the rest of us. That's why, Yuka. It was as simple as that.

I slid a few papers around the table to make it look like I was doing something. The papers, I knew, you see. The previous night had been spent going over them again and again until I could forge them blindfolded if I really wanted to. The real mystery was the actions of the other players. Players, as in, His Dishonor and The Bear. Those, along with the somewhat trembling man beside me, were the only people I cared about at the moment. Not the press shifting about behind me. Not Mothy Star staring at the back of my head. Not the clerk setting up her computer or the bailiff straightening his tie. The courtroom was stuffy with heat and anticipation. Any moment now. Breathe.

"How you holding up, Len?" I asked for maybe the fourth time that morning. Fifth, possibly.

"Great. Fantastic," he replied.

"You're doing a good job."

"Right."

I slid a paper closer to the edge of the table.

Someone coughed.

A yawn.

Meiko was looking at me. I could feel it. Slowly, I dragged my eyes up to meet her gaze. "Good luck," she mouthed.

I didn't reply.

It may be worth noting what a preliminary hearing actually is. Here's the deal. It's basically a trial, but only the prosecution gets to present evidence and call witnesses. Our dear bear friend over there was about to try to convince our dear judge friend that there's enough evidence for a trial. My job was to refute her so-called evidence, and if I were to succeed, Len would be home by nightfall. All of this would be behind us…

The judge's chamber screeched open. Bombs of whispering exploded behind me. Somewhere, someone said, "All rise."

Our chairs screamed against the wood flooring in unison. Blood rushed to my head and I was momentarily blinded, as if someone was pushing their palms against my eyes. So, I did not see for myself His Dishonor's grand reentry, which was probably a good thing. Didn't want my animal instincts kicking in and leading me to murder him myself in front of so many witnesses.

"You may be seated," he sang. Unfortunately, my ears were in full working order. "Has the defense's plea changed since last we met?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Alright. Let's get this show on the road. May the lovely Ms. Ursa state her case?" He was smiling at Meiko, and I could tell it pissed her off.

"Yes, Your Honor." Meiko closed her eyes a moment, a habit I noticed from the arraignment. I stared at my table, frown etched deep into my face. Len Kagamine was about to be scrutinized in every way imaginable. Even if Len really was ready, I didn't know if I was. "The County has taken upon itself the task to uphold justice against the man behind the death of a young woman named Miki Star, aged 25. We believe we have evidence that not only is worth close investigation during trial but also which proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Len Kagamine is that man. Throughout the course of this hearing, you will hear testimony from Ms. Star's closest friend and roommate which provides him with motive and opportunity. You will also see this case through the lenses of science, as we provide DNA and forensic evidence which casts further suspicion upon the accused. All of this evidence is irrefutable in the eyes of the County and cannot be denied by the defendant or his counsel. I hope we see eye-to-eye on this matter, Your Honor."

"Interesting."

Interesting. I'm sure it interested His Dishonor greatly. I could see it in his eyes.

First to the stand was, as promised, Ms. Lily Mosh. Today was the first time I saw her in attire that covered almost eighty percent of her torso, so I guess that was progress. She had pulled her long, blond hair back into a bun which emulated Meiko's almost identically. Her eyes fell downcast as she clacked past me, and I knew in my gut she was thinking about the other day and our brief conversation. I suppose I should have probably considered her a suspect, but I always believed myself a good judge of character. She was hiding something, alright, but murder? Unlikely. Not impossible.

Lily placed her well-manicured right hand on the bible presented to her and, after the necessary words were exchanged, sat on her hands with a nervous scan around the room. Court did something to the cheerful. It was hard to explain. "Would you please state your name for the record?" Meiko asked, walking to the center of the floor.

"Lily Mosh," she replied.

"A bit louder, please."

"Lily Mosh."

"Thank you. Could you tell us what your relationship with Miki Star was?"

"She is—She _was_ my best friend since college. We were roommates." She stole a glance my direction. I didn't know what she expected me to do, but I nodded in a way that could be taken as encouragement. If she looked at it that way, I don't know.

"Had you ever heard the name Len Kagamine before her passing?" Meiko went on. She would pace a few times before she placed her questions, making every word seem crucially premeditated and important. It was all about impressions, after all, and Meiko Ursa gave an impression which greatly contrasted her nickname. She seemed so _professional._

"Yes," Lily replied.

"When was that?"

"Every once in a while, Miki would talk about the writers she worked with. Len Kagamine was one of them."

"Did she talk to you about Mr. Kagamine anytime recently?"

"Yes. The day she went missing."

"Which is the day she was killed?"

"Y-Yes, we know that now."

"What did she say about him?"

"She was going to meet him after running a few errands. She never came home after that."

"So, she met with Len Kagamine the day she was murdered?"

"Objection," I piped up. "Lily Mosh does not know for a fact if she actually did meet him. Her answer would be speculation."

Kaito turned his irritating face my direction and smiled, tilting his head back and forth a few times. I could tell he wanted to say "overruled," but the press was all lined up, and impressions weren't only essential to lawyers, you see. "Sustained."

"Let me rephrase. Ms. Star _told you_ she was meeting with Len Kagamine the day she was murdered?"

"Yes."

"And did she give you the impression she wasn't sure if he would show up or if the meeting would be possibly cancelled?"

"Objection. Speculation."

"Overruled. You may answer the question." Was that a wink? He didn't just _wink_ at me, did he?

"No, she was definitely planning to meet him."

"Would you say," Meiko went on, "that Ms. Star and Mr. Kagamine were on good terms? Hold on—before Ms. Hidari chimes in—did she ever _mention_ anything pertaining to the health of their relationship?"

"Miki seemed to like Mr. Kagamine fine at first, but lately, she'd become awfully quiet whenever she had to meet with him soon. She talked about all her other writers very animatedly, but not him, anymore."

"How was Ms. Star's mood, in your opinion, when she told you she was meeting with Len Kagamine on the evening of March 13?"

"She was… jittery. Sort of, scared."

"Of what?"

"I don't know."

"That will be all," Meiko finished. "For now."

"Ms. Hidari. Your cross-examination, if you please."

I took a deep breath, bringing myself not-so-cheerfully onto my feet. "Ms. Mosh, you are training to become a doctor, are you not?"

"U-Um, yes," Lily answered. Whatever Meiko told her I would be asking, this obviously wasn't it.

"You aren't training to be a psychologist, though, correct?"

"No…"

"So, everything you said about Ms. Star's mood and whether or not she knew if the meeting would be canceled, that is based solely on your own opinion?"

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"Has Ms. Star been honest with you one-hundred-percent of the time during the entirety of your friendship?"

"Excuse me?"

"Has Ms. Star ever, in the years you've known her, lied or hid something from you? Ever? Or has she been completely and totally honest to the very core?"

Her eyes widened. Something about that question seemed to have struck her. There was a moment where all we could hear was our own breathing and the droning whir of the air conditioner. "M-Miki was an honest person."

"But, was she honest with _you_ absolutely, without exception? Can you say, under oath, that she had never lied or hid truth from you _ever, ever, ever?_ "

"No, I guess I can't!" she snapped.

"That will be all." And I sat down without another word. I didn't like this. No, I didn't think I did enough.

"Any redirect?" Kaito asked Meiko.

"No. Not necessary. I would like to move onto Mr. Kagamine's lack of alibi. If you would turn toward the screen."

I looked over at the projector screen with half-lidded eyes. Some faceless people were scurrying to set up the video, and after a few fumbling of hands, an image of a small, cubic room lit up the screen. Len was there, sitting at a metal table, and two officers were stationed across from him. One was standing with his hand on his hip. The other was sitting with clasped hands. The time stamp on the bottom of the screen read _May 15. 15:43:02:81._ As soon as Meiko tapped her little remote, the last two numbers started climbing up rapidly. I knew what this was. It was on the evidentiary list I had received the other day. The Len beside me, however, stiffened. It was no use wondering what he was thinking, but I wondered anyway.

The Len on the screen shifted uncomfortably. The sitting policeman sighed. "Tell us again what you were doing during the hours of seven and nine the night before last, because we seemed to be on the same page for a while there."

"I-I went out for a walk," Len replied shortly.

"You went out for a walk?"

"Yes."

"And you ran into Miki Star on this walk?"

"No! No, I never saw Miki." His face was a blur thanks to the Department's lovely optic system, but I could still picture his expression. Desperate.

"Tell us when exactly you went out on this walk and when exactly you returned."

"It was from about 7 P.M. to 7:30."

"Where did you walk?"

"Just—down 49th street… by the river…"

Beside me, Len squeezed his eyes shut. " _Why? Why did I mention the river?"_ he must have been thinking. A drop of sweat crawled down my forehead.

"The river?" the standing officer asked.

"Yes." His voice had gotten very small.

Meiko stopped the video, and the screen turned white. "7 P.M. to 7:30. I would like Your Honor to keep that in mind as I call up my next witness."

"Your expediency absolutely thrills me, Ms. Ursa," His Dishonor commented.

"Why waste any more of your time than is necessary?" There was a sort of defiant edge whenever she spoke to Kaito Taro.

"I couldn't agree more. Justice should be swift."

I tapped my foot impatiently against the wooden floor.

"Alright, Ms. Hidari." Meiko sighed. "The prosecution calls Cul Noza up to the stand."

Cul Noza, evidently, was a forensics expert and had allied herself professionally with the lovely Meiko Ursa early on in their careers. Yuka had told me all this the night previous, as she scoured the internet for information on the enemy. Just as the picture online depicted, she was a pretty woman of small stature with flaming carmine hair pulled into a ponytail. She was smiling, but her eyes showed a level of disinterest drilled into her over the years of testifying in open court. The introductions were a breeze, and I could tell just by looking at her that Meiko had settled comfortably by her table, tenacity ablaze in her eyes.

Ah, maybe that what Yuka meant about confidence.

After they went over the generalities of the wounds and how and when Miki was discovered, Meiko reached her true purpose in her witness. "Cul, upon your examination of the corpse of Ms. Miki Star, what did you surmise the time of death was?"

If she had glasses, I would imagine she would have pushed them up right then, but she didn't. So, she instead took a pen out of her breast pocket and clicked it a few times. Then a couple more for good measure. "I determined it to be between the hours of 7 P.M. and 9 P.M. the evening of March 13."

"How certain are you?"

"As certain as I've ever been in a case."

"7 P.M., huh? Sounds familiar. I wonder where…" Meiko smiled and eyed me. "Now, you also examined some of the items confiscated from Len Kagamine's apartment after the police issued a search warrant. Is that correct?"

"That is correct." She clicked the pen a few more times.

"What did you discover?"

"Well, I took special interest in the knives Mr. Kagamine had in his kitchen. As far as kitchen knives, he only had one, which I compared to the seven stab wounds on Miki Star's body."

"Did you notice any correlation?"

"Yes. They matched perfectly."

A few reporters behind me began to whisper. "Alright, that is all," Meiko said brusquely and took her seat.

"Cross-examination?" His Dishonor drawled.

I stood, a bit confused, to be perfectly honest. There was something off about this whole hearing. Meiko seemed to be _holding back_ for some reason. I took great care in going over the case file and for a fact, she could have gotten more out of Cul than _that._ The only explanation I could come up with was that she was lying in wait for the trial. Oh, she was confident, indeed.

"Did you find any trace of blood on that knife?" I asked, taking great care in making eye contact.

She clicked her pen. "No."

"And you mentioned just now that you are 'as certain as you've ever been in a case.' I bring it up because, as I understand, Miki had been completely submerged in water for almost twenty-four hours before the body was discovered. Does this in any way hinder your investigation?"

"No," she answered bluntly.

"No?" I blinked a few times.

"No."

Oh.

Well.

"That will be all." I sat down with clenched fists.

"No redirect, Your Honor," Meiko chimed in. "And that is my final witness."

No, not possible. Surely, there were more than that.

But there wasn't.

Certainly, that wasn't enough to get a trial—

But it was, wasn't it?

It took His Dishonor a total of two minutes to make his deliberation. So much for unbiased impressions for the press. Then again, Kaito Taro didn't need the press, as long as he had money. Of course. How could I be so naïve? This was the inevitable outcome. It was, I would soon find out, a necessary step in a much larger plan I could not have begun to imagine.

"I have contemplated this evidence," he said, blue hair bleeding into his eyes, "and have come to the conclusion that the case of Len Kagamine requires further investigation in the form of a trial. Ms. Ursa, Ms. Hidari, I hope your prepared for the long road ahead of you. Especially, you, Ms. Hidari. Especially you."


	9. Blame

Was our office always this dreary? I stared at the beige walls and the humming fluorescent light above me and the scratched, vinyl flooring and the piles upon piles of papers that ravaged my desk and wondered how I ever liked being here. Back when Yuka and I first bought this space, I was so incandescently happy. Why? What about wasting the rest of my life as a powerless defender of the people sounded enticing to me?

Yuka was pattering away on her computer, face so close to the screen I thought she was being sucked in. A fly landed on her head, but she didn't notice. Quietly, I made my way over and slapped her skull.

She hunched over and whirred around in her swivel chair. "What was that for?"

I showed her the smear of blood across my hand. "I just saved your life."

"I am going to kill you."

"Please do. Maybe I won't ever have to step into such a depressing atmosphere ever again."

"I wonder who's making it so depressing. Hmm?"

I glided over to the couch and sprawled myself across it. "I'm going to lose, aren't I?"

"Yes," she answered, turning back to her screen.

"I see you've finally dropped the optimist act."

"I was referring to the fact that you're going to lose all sense of happiness in this world."

"Even better. Yes, unleash your true feelings upon me, Yuka. Unleash your wrath."

"Mayu, I am going to say this one time. If you and Len don't say what you want to say now, you may never get the chance again."

"Oh." I rolled over onto my stomach. "You were talking about that."

"I'm serious. Don't you owe it to him just as much as yourself?"

For the first time that day, I felt something other than numbing apathy. Something within me squirmed in discomfort, and a question formed in my mind. A question involving the word _"love."_ I closed my eyes and tried to push down the frenzied panic that welled up in my chest every time I started to think about the big picture. Briskly, I got to my feet, sending Yuka a glare I hope she felt behind that computer screen. "I'm going on a research field trip. If Len calls…" I hesitated. "Tell him I'll call him back."

"Alright, alright. I hope you happen upon your sense of humor while you're gone."

As soon as I placed my hand on the doorknob, someone knocked. Shaking my alarm away, I opened the door to find a bright-eyed Len standing there, hand still raised in a fist. I heard Yuka shifting behind me. "Oh, Len!" she exclaimed. "We were just talking about you."

"No, we weren't," I snapped back. "H-Hey, how's it going? Did you need something?"

"Hey." Len was avoiding eye contact like how he did in high school. "Not exactly. I wanted to—It's been a while since we really got to talk about anything other than the case and—I was wondering if we could do… that. Talk, I mean."

"Actually, I was just lea—" _Don't you owe it to him just as much as yourself?_ "Um, yeah, I was just leaving, but I suppose, if you wanted to come along? It might be rather boring, though. It's at the courthouse."

"Sure! Yeah. That's fine."

I refused to look at Yuka as I joined Len in the hall and shut the door behind me. It was mostly silent on the way down the elevator as I became acutely aware of how I didn't put on make-up that day and every article of clothing had been hastened on with the accuracy of a drunken person. I didn't want to care about these things but couldn't help it nonetheless. All of Yuka's comments and accusations manifested themselves in my mind to create one big hodgepodge of anxiety and confusion.

"Let's walk there," I said as we pushed ourselves into the city air. "It's not that far away."

"Alright." He smiled, and I wondered how he could do that so easily after what happened. After the preliminary hearing, that is. It's like he misunderstood the verdict or something. We lost. I lost it.

We walked for a while, side-by-side. In these heels, I was taller than him, and I pointed this out not without satisfaction. His face grew red, but he couldn't deny it this time. Ever since we met, we were always comparing heights, both of us short and competitive. Even as the war posters swirled around our feet, I for a moment lost myself in the past.

"So, what do you do besides being a lawyer nowadays?" Len asked.

"Not much," I answered. "I read, of course, like always. Oh, I used to go to this bar with Yuka every Tuesday, but we haven't gone in a while. Um… Believe it or not, I've become rather good at playing the piano. One came with the house, and I was bored one day so…"

"I can imagine it perfectly," he said.

"What are you looking at?" I asked mirthfully.

"Sorry." He turned away from me. "I was just thinking that you haven't changed since college."

"Really? I think I've changed a great deal. I don't know how exciting of a friend I'll be. I've gotten quite boring."

"That's not true."

"I've gotten out-of-touch with the world, I think. That's how Yuka puts it sometimes. I believe I've lost something important." I kept my eyes ahead of me, picking up my pace slightly so he couldn't see my face.

"Is this about Luka Megurine?" he asked.

"Rin told you."

"Yes."

"It might be. I don't know."

"Listen—"

"No, it's fine, really—"

"—I just want to thank you. You're amazing. Everything you've done—"

"—No, I failed, Len. I failed. I _failed!"_ We were at the courthouse steps. The bustle of Ava fell in around us. "Here, let's just head inside, okay?"

"Okay," he said, eyes downcast. Fists clenched, I lead the way inside.

The main event was on the second floor. We clambered up the stairs in uneasy silence, and upon reaching our desired courtroom, went up another flight of stairs to the balcony. Even up here, it was nearly filled to the brim with people. Over the railing, the sun broke into the room in streams, spotting the tile ground and the dozens of bobbing heads and polished camera lenses which directed themselves toward the door where the accused was surely to enter from.

"What is this, exactly?" Len finally asked.

"A sentencing hearing. It's sort of a big deal. I'm sure you've heard of Gumi Megpoid."

"Yeah, I think so." He thought about it a moment. "Oh! She's some kind of general, right?"

"Correct. Our best and brightest. She's clever and cruel and the shining star of our country's military. That all changed half a year ago, however, when she botched an attempt for a military coup. Remember?"

"Yes! It was all over the news. Are you saying we're at _her_ sentencing hearing?"

"Correct again. She was put on trial, of course. No jury. Everything is down to the judge. Should be an easy decision, right? Everyone knows she's guilty of the worst kind of treason. Her colleagues have nearly all been executed."

"How horrible."

"Yes, well, that's how it is. There have been rumors going around that this trial may end on a different note, however."

"And why is that?"

The press below us all simultaneously grew rowdier, short exclamations and shuffling filling the established quiet. I craned my neck and—yes, I could just see her—way in the front was the woman of the hour. Gumi Megpoid was a surprisingly short person, not at all someone I would peg as a five-star general and would-be conqueror. In fact, now that I saw her in-person, I could almost say that I recognized her and not just from the constant stream of news coverage since the day she tried to take over. Her green hair glowed almost gold in the sun, but its light soon shrunk away from her and retreated behind the clouds, as if it was afraid to touch her.

As Gumi faced forward without expression alongside her lawyers, another figure entered the scene, one which prompted the crowd to stir themselves up once again. My good friend Kaito Taro climbed up the bench with a small smile on his face, black robes flowing around him like darkness itself. Len tensed beside me. Ah, now he understood.

"He wouldn't let her go, would he?" he whispered.

"I don't know," I replied, watching His Dishonor's face for any sign of an answer.

"It's nice to all be together again," His Dishonor projected through the courtroom. "But sadly, this is for the last time."

"Why does he… treat you different from everyone else?" Len continued.

"He presided over the Luka Megurine case. He's the reason an innocent woman was sentenced to death, and all because the prosecution wasn't afraid to make deals behind closed doors. I'm not trying to shift the blame to anyone else. Trust me, I take full responsibility for my failures as a lawyer, but I will not forgive him for his biases."

"You shouldn't blame yourself."

I didn't reply. His Dishonor was saying, "—and after reviewing the evidence _thoroughly._ "

"Mayu."

Ripping my eyes away from Kaito, I faced Len and tried my best to meet his eyes. "What?"

"Will you stop blaming yourself when you win my case?" he asked. "Because you will. I believe in you."

God, it was hot in here, wasn't it? Far too hot for this early in the spring. "Thank you."

Len smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but the words that echoed across the courtroom caused us all to stop in our tracks.

"—not guilty and to be released as soon as possible."

There was a moment were we all just sat there without a concrete thought running through our heads. Then someone in the balcony with us said, "Holy shit" loud enough for God Himself to snap out of it. The room exploded. Camera flashed left and right as Gumi Megpoid stood and was lead out the courtroom through the front doors. For just a moment, I could see her expression. Pure ecstasy.

"I can't believe it," I said.

"Can't they just try her again with a different judge?" Len replied in disbelief.

"Double immunity. Not possible."

"W-Well, what about a mistrial?"

"Too late."

"What about… What about…"

"Gumi Megpoid is going to be out on the streets by sundown, and there's nothing we can do about it. That's what justice is."

"I can't believe that's all it is. There has to be more."

I looked at him curiously. That's what I thought, back in law school, but soon that optimism would deplete, just like mine did. However, for some reason I didn't want Len to know the truth about justice. I wanted to… _protect_ him from the truth. I didn't know what I would do if Len ever got to be as depressing as me. Gathering my thoughts together, I placed a hand on his back and said, "Let's get going."

We stood, Len lost in his own world for a minute. By time we were on the courthouse steps again, he seemed to have come back. "Can I walk you back to the office?"

"Yes," I said with a small grin. "That would nice."


	10. Air Conditioner

Sometimes, when I was alone, I would close my eyes, and all I could hear was the air conditioner rumbling through the walls. But it was more than in the walls, it was in my head, and my skull vibrated with it. And my ears were filled with the _buh da buh da buh da_ of it, like a heartbeat. Or a wind tunnel. Yeah, a wind tunnel.

This was what I thought of when Yuka asked me how I was doing, but at least I knew when I was thinking crazy. So, I eyed my friend and partner intensely from the desk in my home office and decided on a firm "Alright."

"You didn't come to the office after the pre-trial yesterday," Yuka continued, gliding to the bookshelf and running her fingers along the spines.

"Sorry. I was tired and came straight home." My head lulled with the ceiling fan watching over us to keep myself awake. Sure, I was tired, but that didn't mean I got any sleep.

"So, how's the jury looking?"

"Could be worse. Could be better. It seems there aren't any hermits or coma patients in recent recession because they all seemed to have seen a great deal of press coverage."

"Tomorrow's the big day. You think you can persuade them?" Yuka plopped down in a loveseat and refused to arc her worried eyes my direction. It was times like these when the air conditioner came on.

"Yes, I think I can," I replied as confidently as I could muster, "because I have to."

"That's the Mayu I know… sort of. You know I'll sign on as your legal aid if you need any help. I'm totally free."

"What about that other murder case?"

"Dropped at prelim."

"Ah, that's good. You've always been good at this."

"You've always been better." Before I could object, she went on, "Now, I know you haven't forgotten about tonight."

"Tonight, tonight," I repeated. My mind was a haze of dates and times and names, and I tried to push it all out of the way. Then I drew it all back close to myself, afraid I would lose them all. "Tonight."

"Rin and Len? The reunion of our ultimate childhood friend entourage as a last hurrah before the gauntlet? 7 P.M.?"

"Ah, yes, of course. Hurrah. Gauntlet. 8 P.M."

" _7_ P.M."

"7 P.M."

"Seeing you in your hoarder's den depresses me. I'm going back to the office now."

Alright, there may have been boxes and files strew about all over the place, but hoarder was a little harsh. Maybe she meant a hoarder of negative energy. I wasn't making myself feel any better. "Bye, then."

"Before I go, how do you really feel?"

I thought about it for a moment, hands behind my head just like how Kaito was positioned when I went into his chambers that first arraignment. I quickly threw my hands in my lap and replied, "Like an air conditioner."

"Good to know, Mayu. Good to know."

Closing my eyes, I waited for her to leave the house. Her footsteps echoed down the wooden-floored hallway, and then there was a crash. "Damn it! Why is there a trash bag here?" she shouted.

"It's a self-portrait!" I called back. Actually, it was all the alcohol I had left in the house. It was useless to me now and made me sick to my stomach. I could have sworn I had thrown it in the dumpster, though… Then again, that might have been daydream.

There was a rustling noise then the slamming of the front door. Yeah, totally a daydream. Just as I was about to pull out a file, when the doorbell rang. Creating a guttural noise, I stood and stormed toward the door, tripping myself over the trash bag of alcohol. After the frustration with myself became a lesser to my frustration with Yuka, I finished my storming and opened the door.

"Good morning, Ms. Hidari. I hope I come at a convenient time." Meiko stood with sunglasses gleaming on my front porch like a federal agent about to ask me some hard questions.

"No, it's a perfect time," I replied, voice taking a moment to revert back to its professional setting. Then again, the rest of me wasn't so professional either. Bare feet, let-down hair, jeans... "You're free to come inside."

"Thank you. I think I'll take you up on that offer." With a smile, she sashayed in, spared a glance toward the trash bag on the floor, and let me lead the way to the socially acceptable living room. I only realized then that she was wearing gloves as she took them off along with her sunglasses and held them clenched in her right hand as she sat on the sofa. A lot of thoughts about Meiko Ursa weaseled into my mind in the past weeks, but I couldn't bring myself to resent her in the purest sense. She wasn't the enemy, after all. That's what I thought, at least, at the time of her grand entrance into my home.

"Quaint place," she commented, looking around.

"Thank you," I said not without a hint of sarcasm.

"Don't worry. I won't stay for long. I just thought that, considering the severity and passion surrounding this case, it would be proper to shake hands with your opponent on the eve of its commencement."

"How… thoughtful of you."

"Well? How do you feel?"

Like an air conditioner. "I want you to know, Ms. Ursa, that though I am young and my performance so far in this case has not been altogether amazing, I am good at my job, and if I were to win one case during the entirety of my career, I would win this one." I don't know exactly where that came from.

Meiko's smile only widened. "You remind me of my past self. Young, passionate, aiming towards the top. I hate my past self. You've given me all the more fuel to my fire. Now, I must admit, there is one other thing I wanted to discuss with you here, and that is the subject of a certain His Honor."

"Kaito Taro certainly has been a handful recently. He's made all the headlines."

"Yes, well, I am a bit confused, to be honest. I am the first to admit that the preliminary hearing certainly seemed tilted in my favor, but I want you to know I did not steep so low as to pay the man. I thought, because of his low bail set, that _you_ had succumbed to temptation first, and I hardly put up any fight in the prelim. I thought the trial would be over now, but here we are."

"I wouldn't give Kaito Taro a quarter to put in a gumball machine."

"Yes, I see that now. I don't know what he is planning in regards to this trial, but I am willing to vow pure means of pursuit if you are. Between adversaries."

"Of course. That would be ideal."

Meiko stood and looked me in the eye as we shook hands. Ah, my adversary, the gauntlet awaited.

The bar Rin so graciously picked out for our last hurrah was dim and noisy but not altogether unpleasant. And as I stood there in my jeans with a bag over my shoulder and bags under my eyes, staring at the table tucked away in the corner where the three people I spent my childhood with sat, I felt like time had finally caught up with me in one swoop and became overcome with a bout nausea. However, before I could run away and crawl into my bed for solace, Rin was waving me over with that wall-to-wall smile of hers, and there was no escape.

As I edged closer, a small smile of my own spread across my face. "Hey, guys," I half-shouted over the general murmur of the room.

"Mayu, you didn't shrivel up and die in your hermit hovel!" Yuka teased, patting the seat in between Len and her. "Still feeling like an air conditioner?"

"An air conditioner?" Rin asked, leaning over the table in ever-flowing interest.

I took to my chair. "No, an air conditioner cannot possibly thrive in such an environment." It was true. It was hot as Satan's greenhouse in July in there.

"Hello, Mayu," Len said.

"Hello," I replied. "All set for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I—"

"No!" Rin interrupted, her wine sloshing precariously close to the rim. "No talk of tomorrow! Not in my courtroom! Mayu, I already ordered you a wine."

Len cocked his head to the side. "I thought you hated wine."

"It's a complicated relationship, but I have given it up now."

"Eh? Since when?" Rin pouted.

"A few weeks ago."

There was a silence here where no one knew what to say. We had been together and apart for so long, words hardly came to mind. Just as the lightness of the conversation was fizzling out for good, Yuka began laughing hysterically. "What?" I asked, grinning despite myself. "What?"

"I'm sorry," she gasped out between half-sobs, half-giggles. "All I can think about right now is Len and Rin's 21st birthday."

Now I began laughing too, because God, now that's all I could think about. Rin was grinning broadly, but Len was completely confused. "Our 21st birthday? I don't even remember it too well…"

"I would think not!" Yuka replied, still struggling to catch her breath.

"Oh no, what happened?" No one answered, merely giggling like the school girls we were. Len sighed, turning to me with big eyes. "Mayu, please tell me."

Willing myself to calm down enough to answer, I said, "Do you remember after the speech, Rin gave you that bottle of beer?"

"Yeah, I think I remember something like that…"

"It may or may not have been the strongest whiskey I could find!" Rin finished for me, completely losing it.

Len looked horrified, looking around with betrayal in his eyes. "You're not serious."

We all nodded.

"I didn't do something embarrassing, did I?"

No one made eye contact.

Well, court be damned, we just gave him the death sentence right there. He buried his face in his hands as his mind went wild with possibilities. And there his knowledge of that fateful night remained. At least, for a very long time.

"Don't worry, Len. We've all experienced embarrassing things." Yuka's words offered little consolation. "Even darling Mayu, here."

"I don't like where this conversation is going," I intervened.

"I do!" Rin exclaimed. "Tell me more."

"Well, it was finals week in the last year of law school…"

The night continued on as such, a single gleam of happiness in a time of immense burden. As we laughed and shared stories of our shared and singular pasts, the future slipped away from my mind until for the first time in a very long time, I felt like myself again. That night I never slept better, despite what the morning was destined to bring.


	11. Setting the Stage

I know I said what an Ava courtroom looked like when these events took place, but considering from here on we will be spending a great deal of time in here, I thought it best to reiterate my previous descriptions.

Courtroom. No. 7 was situated on the second floor of the marble-steeped building which served as the apex of Ava's modern justice. Just outside the main entrance, a towering set of mahogany doors and polished brass handles, sat a statue of Lady Justice herself, brandishing her sword in one hand and her scales in the other. She faced the incoming audience sightlessly, blindfold snug around her unfeeling face.

The first thing you see when you walk inside is another set of justice scales, as if you had forgotten since your foray with the Lady outside that justice was indeed the name of the game here. They were glimmering and situated above the judge's bench, a carved block of more mahogany which dropped down seven feet and staggered into the witness bench on the right and the clerk's table on the left. Already on the clerk's table sat the stenography machine, where every word uttered would be recorded and sealed forever. Against the right wall was the jury box, twelve swivel chairs in two elevated rows of six, partitioned from everyone by a dark wooden wall. The marble flooring extended over every inch of the ground, a constant reminder of our reflections and the unholy echoes our words reverberated against. The ceiling was high, almost endless. To the left was the projector screen, already utilized by dearest Meiko Ursa during the prelim and undoubtedly going to be utilized again. Directly in front of the judge's bench was, of course, the defense on the left and the prosecution on the right. Another partition stretched out behind that, and from there backwards was for the spectators. A balcony loomed above us so more eyes could watch the upcoming spectacle, the opening circus act.

It was 8 A.M. on a Thursday, and everyone had to be in position for the play to start.

Luka Megurine was sitting in her cell, sliding on boots over her gray jumpsuit. The woman in the cell next to hers was crying, and she never did find out why. The lights were bright white and flooded her cell with sharp shadows. For the briefest of moments, she panicked. She felt like she had forgotten something very important.

Gumi Megpoid had awoken three hours previous and since had been staring out the window in the motel room she rented. Her home was never Ava, but here she would stay because that was what she was told to do. She took a sip from her mug of coffee and finally turned around toward the blaring TV, where Courtroom No. 7 was being broadcasted onto, live.

Gakupo Kamui sat at his desk in the precinct, fingers tapping restlessly against his chair. He knew it was about to start any minute now and was beginning to regret his decision to not call me and apologize for the situation we had been put into. So, silently and to himself, he wished me and Len Kagamine good luck, for we were undoubtedly going to need it.

Lily Mosh sat on her hands behind the prosecution's table, dressed in black and overcome with the conflicting feelings which had plagued her ever since the prelim. Her wallet laid open in her lap, a picture of her and Miki staring upwards like a window into a past which can never be retained.

Mothy Star was stationed beside her, black lace dress kissing the floor, back rigid, face stony. Her blue, blue eyes washed over the entire room, taking in every entertaining observation. Her anticipation almost leaked into a smile, but she held it back sharply, older and wiser than she looked. She ran her fingers through her wispy blond hair and flashed a gaunt look toward the press behind her. The cameras hungrily ravaged every millisecond of it.

Meiko Ursa was, for the second—maybe third—time in her life, nervous, not that any of it showed in her unfalteringly graceful way she composed herself. Her eyes scanned over her opening statement, and she quickly altered a word or two, reorganizing it in her mind. For some reason, she wanted to believe the Kagamine boy, which would make this all the more accomplishing a victory when this was all over.

Rin Kagamine sat behind the defense's table, wearing her absolute best dress and struggling with my instruction to remain stoic in expression and manner. Earlier, she had told the press her opinions and hopes and that was all she could do for now. Her brother's life was in Lady Justice's hands, and she dabbed her mascaraed face quickly to hide a few of the tears which slid down her face.

Yuzuki Yukari had a secret. She held the secret at the back of her throat as she looked at Rin trying not to cry beside her. She held it there, and then she swallowed it. She buried it down deep inside just like she'd always done, and she prayed that someway, somehow, I would win. She prayed that I would pull off a miracle, because if anyone could pull off a miracle, it was me. That's what she thought, at least.

Len Kagamine had realized when he woke up that morning that this might just be the beginning of the end. He hadn't done much in his life, and for that he was sorry. However, he hadn't done anything to deserve this, either. He wasn't prepared to leave everyone, to leave… He put his trust in me, because what else was there left to do now?

Kaito Taro stood in his office, holding the photograph of his daughter in his hands and pondering what it would be like if he could feel emotion again. Would he be upset looking at this image? Guilty? Would the ending of this story be altered? Or, is the ending inevitable, nailed to the wall by fate's hands? He set the picture down, straightened his tie, and stepped outside his chambers so the show could begin.

Miku was a name I had never heard before. Little did I know she would be the key to this case. For now, she was nothing but a naggingly familiar name which I could not place.

I was ready. Yuka mentioned a while back that I had lost my fire, and I never was completely sure what she meant by that until this moment. The fire filled my entire being, stretching to my fingertips and feet, steadying my hands as they squeezed Len's briefly for encouragement, sharpening my vision, clearing my mind. I looked at the jury shuffling in. I looked at them hard. To drag them into that fire of mine, that is what I had to do. Drown them in it, until they saw what I saw and felt how I felt. Until the flames cleared and revealed to them the true culprit, the true adversary of society and their precious city.

"All rise."

The congregation held its collective breath as it shot to its feet, high on adrenaline and a thirst for mystery. With everyone's nerves shooting every which way and mid-spring's unusual bout of sun, the room was like a whirlpool of heat, churning us around and setting us on edge. There stood His Dishonor, sitting like a hunched-over black crow in that gown of his and scanning the room with an unnaturally serious face. The jury, comprised of the young, old, rich, poor, veterans, shoe salesman, doctors, waitresses, looked at him and at us like we were from another world.

"You may be seated."

Introductions. The charges. Every item in perfect order, reciting down the list. Kaito Taro said it all with a voice laced with disinterest and brevity. Len stared at his hands, and I stared at him. If I could have talked, I would have told him not to worry. I would save him. I swore it.

"Ms. Ursa, you may present your opening statement," Kaito finished with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He must have been having a bad day. Join the club, Dishonor.

Meiko closed her eyes a moment. I imagined her world falling away around her and snapping back into place. We agreed for a fair fight, and so I watched her like a chess player watched her opponent. The opening statement is the first move, what sets the entire tone of the trial in place. The first impression, the second most pivotal impression of all.

She faced the jury and paced a few times, making eye contact with each and every one of them. "25," she said. "What do you think of when you hear the number 25? 25 days until your next vacation? 25 dollars until you reach that next milestone? 25… the age your daughter is murdered in cold blood and dumped into the river like trash? Miki Star was 25 years old when she last saw the sun rise over Ava's skyline. Yuki Kaai was nine when she found her body, decomposed after over 24 hours in a flowing stream of water. Can you imagine that? Over 24 hours. I certainly couldn't until I saw the pictures. Yuki Kaai certainly didn't have to ever imagine it, but now it remains there in her memory forever. Len Kagamine," she pointed to Len. "was 27 years old when he murdered his editor, Ms. Star. No, he has no record. Yes, he seems like a nice guy. However, it's the nicest of us who crack the deepest, and when someone like Len Kagamine cracks, they can never be repaired again…

"Miki Star has a mother. She has a best friend, who knew her better than anyone and will tell you who murdered her. She has co-workers and a past but no present. No future. Not anymore. Why is that? Because Len Kagamine was angry, and he needed someone to let that anger out on. Miki was the most viable option. She didn't like him. She thought he was creepy and awkward, two words that has plagued him all his life. He snapped. Anyone can snap, right? Anyone can stab a young woman seven times, strip her of her clothing, and dump her body where she could never be found, right? Wrong.

"Len Kagamine is guilty because he is the only one who fits. He fits like a puzzle piece, and no matter how hard the defense tries to twist the piece in other directions and fumble it around, the piece fits. That's a fact. I hope we can come together to reach a just and true conclusion, dear members of the jury. Thank you for your time."

She sat down, and the room was solemn a few moments. The words that came out of Meiko's mouth weren't unexpected, but there's always a shock that comes along with the official start of the whole wretched thing—the whole trial. So, I waited with the rest of them, to let it sink in. Even after Kaito so graciously called me up for the defense's opening statement, I let them think about it for a while.

I refused to look at Len or Rin or Yuka. They weren't there. This was like any other trial, any other client, any other judge. My face might have been younger than Meiko's, but God be damned if I let myself _feel_ younger than her.

Their names and faces, I do not remember. I do not need to. All I cared about then and now that these were twelve people, and I was one person. And here we were, confused and a little scared and wanting this to be done with. I looked at them all and began, "Over the past weeks, I've been thinking a lot about what I should say to you all. I could on about the facts of the case, facts most of you have already heard, though distortedly, on the news, but I'm sure you can understand what I'm feeling right now. There are some things you feel so strongly in that you can hardly formulate words to describe it. That's how I feel about the innocence of Len Kagamine. That's how his family feels, his sister. I could talk to you about the prosecution, their weak motive, their menial physical evidence, the fact that their case is circumstantial at best. However, instead I want to talk to you a little bit about truth, because that's what the justice system is all about, right? Truth.

"Truth to some people means the most convenient path. It would be convenient if Len Kagamine, a recent arrival in the city of Ava, who hasn't enough friends and acquaintances here to vouch for him yet, to have killed the young woman Miki Star, dumped her in the river, and that's the end of the story. It would be convenient if this was a simple case, if there only was one puzzle piece, but quite simply, life isn't that convenient. This case is anything but simple. Truth is anything but simple. The truth is that Len Kagamine did not murder Miki Star. He is not only innocent, but he has also been framed. By whom? Well, that's the complicated part, isn't it? I hope you all agree with me, that the truth is what we're searching for, not convenience. Not twisted, uninformed blame. We owe it to Miki to find out the truth, and that is exactly what I'm going to do."

When I sat down, the fire that had fueled my every movement, word, and thought, shriveled and fell into ashes. Already, I was exhausted, and I could tell by the looks on the jury members' faces that they were, too.


	12. Stars

A light drizzle pattered against the gentle creek before me as it made its steady journey from the city of Ava into the suburbs and eventually all the way to the backyard of Yuka's old home. The silver fish still darted about underneath the dim surface, waiting for a child's grubby hands to wrap itself around it and hold it high in the air. I imagined the fish flashing out of the way from the floating corpse of the recently deceased Miki Star. She was unrecognizable by the time Yuki Kaai found her, of course, hardly even human.

One thing kept nagging me, though, as I squatted down at the riverbank, umbrella steady over my head, hand partially submerged in the cool water. Why did the killer remove her clothes when there was no sign of rape? What was the practical purpose? If there wasn't any, that made this a different kind of crime completely, by a murderer with a creative mind, one who appreciated symbolic action or baffling the authorities. There _was_ one person I could think of who would do that, but I didn't have enough evidence to even utter the name.

Several days had passed since the opening statements, and I had devoted all of my time into the lives of the upcoming witnesses of the prosecution. The list of names was as follows: Cul Noza, Yuki Kaai, Gakupo Kamui, Vivien Flower, and finally, Lily Mosh. The names buzzed around my head without reproof. Sometimes I just had to pound my head to straighten everything out. _Get. It. Together._

"You're that lady on the TV."

My umbrella fell to the pavement, rolling around in a mocking semi-circle. A little girl had somehow gotten behind me, chrome eyes peering through the mist of rain like dim lightbulbs. Quickly, I retrieved my umbrella, and smiled for a brief moment before realizing it took too much energy to smile. "The TV?" I asked.

She stepped closer, school uniform in sharper focus. A red backpack was slung around her shoulders, and a matching umbrella of her own protected her round face and black pigtails from getting soaked. Her frown deepened when I couldn't piece together what she was talking about. "The TV," she repeated. "My mom showed me. You were outside the trial, and you were talking to cameras. My mom said you're the enemy."

I hadn't been called "the enemy" by a child since third grade. "She did? Well, why did she say that?"

"Because you're defending the bad man."

"Oh, I see. Well, I have to disagree with your mother, but that's alright. My name is Mayu." I extended a hand.

She looked at it a moment but never moved to take it. "My name's Yuki." I stood up a little straighter. "My mom said I shouldn't talk to you."

"Alright."

But she didn't leave. Instead, she squatted down by the river and looked at the water. Quietly, I joined her, and we waited there awhile. The creek wasn't exactly the epitome of nature; I could still smell the odor of industrialization from here. Shops lined the street behind us, and the general clamor of life pattered on with the rain.

"The man on the TV said you like the word 'truth' a lot," Yuki said softly.

"Yeah. I guess I do."

"Nobody tells me the truth anymore. They won't tell me anything about the woman in the creek."

"I think they want to protect you."

"I don't need protection! I want to know why she was there."

"Me, too."

"You don't think the bad man did it?"

"I know he didn't do it."

"How?"

I leaned my head upward toward the gray sky. The rain was letting up. "It's like how you know the grass is green or the ocean is blue. I just know. It's a part of how life is. Len is innocent, and I'm going to save him."

"My mom said I'm colorblind."

"Oh. Well, bad example."

"That's alright."

"Can I ask you something?"

She thought about it. "Mm. Okay. As long as it's not about the trial."

"Do you walk by this creek every day?"

"Yeah. My school is just down there."

"You didn't see anyone weird around here in the days before you found Miki in the creek?"

"That's about the murder!"

"Nuh-uh, it's technically about before the murder."

"Fine. Hmmm. Well, there was a lady standing right here where we are the morning before I found her. She was just staring down into the water. It was creepy."

"Did you see what she looked like?"

"No. She was wearing a hat."

"What about her hair color?"

"My mom said it doesn't matter about the woman."

"You told your mom?"

"Yeah, and she said it doesn't matter, so it doesn't. You've asked too many questions." Yuki tottered up onto her little red Maryjane's and huffed at the creek. I suppose I didn't give her the truth she wanted, but at least she was willing to talk. She left without another word, disappearing into the fog and the city within it.

A twinge of pity bothered my stomach the whole way back to the office. Miki's body… I had looked at the photographs and could hardly stomach them myself.

The pattering against the roof of my car stopped somewhere along the way, but the darkness of storm had already been replaced by nighttime. I found myself clacking through the parking garage more quickly than normal, unable to trust the uncertainty of every shadow and unturned corner. Like I was being watched. Like I was forgetting something terribly important.

Yuka was reading a book on the sofa when I came in, struggling slightly for breath. She glanced up for half a second, burrowing herself deeper into the cushions. "If you're being chased by ghosts, I sure hope you didn't bring them into the vicinity of me."

"No, I think I lost the ghosts in the parking garage. No promises, though," I replied, slowly making my way over to the window and eying the charcoal black sky for some stability.

"What're looking at?" Yuka heaved herself up and joined me in my staring.

"The stars."

"It's too cloudy to see stars."

"Not that you can see them in the city anyway."

"I feel like we had a similar conversation before, a long time ago."

I buried my face in my arms. "No, stop speaking. I'm going to remember something. Nothing good ever comes out of that."

"Let's see, it must have been our junior year in high school…"

Yes, November of our junior year, in fact. I knew this because Winter Formal was coming up hard and fast, and it was all that anyone every talked about. Rin, Yuka, Len, and I were all planning on going as a unit, upon Rin's insistence after the guy she asked refused her. Let's just say that guy needed to hide his eyes behind sunglasses for a while after that.

It was difficult getting into the same classes with my limited number of friends, but that year all four of us took the same astronomy class. That day was a class excursion to a field in the countryside where we would document what constellations we could see and all that good stuff. The air was cold and brittle, and the cicadas had hibernated for the winter.

"Len! You're too slow! Come on!" Rin shouted.

"This… hill… is too… steep!" he replied in between breaths. We were already lagging behind the rest of the class, and Rin was starting to get pissed. You see, you didn't want to see Rin pissed.

"Who cares? We're already going to be last in line for the telescopes," I pointed out, already at the top of the hill with Yuka. The black sky cast everything in a navy blue light.

Rin huffed, much like when Yuki huffed at the creek, and finally joined us. Len arrived one minute later, and I had to grab his arm to keep him from collapsing.

"We should get a gym credit for this class," Yuka said, a little wobbly herself.

"Th-Thank you," Len said as I led him along.

I looked away as I replied, glad the darkness would hide the blush dashed across my cheeks. "Don't worry about it."

Everyone had gathered around the telescopes like moths to a flame, eager to see the beautiful stars on this clear night in more detail. As we waited for the crowd to clear, we sat down on the grass and looked upwards toward the tiny flakes of silver that littered the sky. "It's always cloudy in Ava, so we never get to see the stars like this," Yuka commented.

"Not that we can see stars in the city anyway with all those artificial lights," I added.

"You're right. Ava sucks," Rin said.

"Ava sucks," Len agreed.

We took a moment to revel in our shared distaste for the cruel city, not knowing the full extent of corruption which thrived within it even then. We sat all bundled up in our coats and scarves and gloves, bathed in the purple twilight. Yuka turned to me just then and said, "Oh, yeah. Mayu, how was that college visit?

" _Another_ one? How many has that been?" Rin interjected, wide-eyed.

"I think I've visited about 27 colleges since the start of Junior year."

Len shook his head. "That's crazy."

I shifted around uncomfortably. "My parents want the best college. You should have seen the looks on their faces when I said I wanted to be a lawyer. Pure relief. I think they feared I would become an _artist_ or something." They really didn't know how to respond right away. "The pressure." I held a hand up to my head. "Is a bit crushing sometimes."

"God, your parents can suck a big one," Rin said. "And so can all of ours, honestly. All Mom and Dad talk about is all the trips their gonna take once we're off to college, and Yuka, your parents just ignore your existence. What the hell is up with these people? They're making us into total psychos." Rin stood up, facing us as if facing a congregation, and proceeded to point at each one of us as she went on with her speech. "Yuka can hardly talk two words outside us present here, Mayu feels guilty all the time because of her hero complex, Len is too submissive and can't be honest with himself, and I'm a ball of arrogance and conceit. Good Lord, are we always gonna be this screwed up?"

Yuka replied first, "We definitely are."

I cracked a smile, and the others looked at me like I was crazy. "Good," I said. "Because I like us. Screwed-up-ness and all."

"Mayu, this is the hero complex I was talking about!" But she was smiling too.

"You're right," Len said. "We're alright, I think. The four of us. I hope we can stay like this as long as possible."

 _That's comical, since you're the one who left._

Yuka moved away from the window, satisfied that she got me thinking about the past she so wanted me to cling to. No stars showed themselves that night, but I went to sleep still seeing them in the November sky.


	13. Science? Science!

When I pulled my little car into the courthouse parking garage, I rested my head in my arms on the steering wheel and hoped no one of substance walked by my window. The County vs. Len Kagamine, Day 2. Every fiber of my being didn't want to walk through those courtroom doors, but Len was waiting for me, so I forced my disobedient body up and opened the car door.

Courtroom No. 7 was as bustling as ever, the press mumbling in feverish anticipation for the first witness testimonies. I kept my eyes on the papers on my table, namely a single photograph which in all likelihood would not be called into question today. Yuka craned her neck from the row behind me, while Rin beside her talked with her brother over the wooden partition.

"What's up with the notebook?" Yuka half-whispered to me.

I held up the picture so she could see it more clearly. It was indeed of a notebook, leather-bound and fraying around the edges. "My court order for this piece of evidence has yet to pull through."

"What's so important about it? When I looked over the evidence list, Miki had over thirty notebooks filled all kinds of things. Old college ones, editing work, personal writing projects…"

"Yes, I know, but this one is different. It has a lock on it, see?" I pointed to the little metal contraption on the cover.

"You think it's a journal."

"Exactly. I'm missing something crucial, I feel, and if I just could read what she was thinking even months before her murder, maybe I can figure out what."

"Let's pray for that court order, then."

"Getting through today would be enough for me right now." I said this especially quietly, so Len wouldn't overhear. "Cul Noza's up again, plus there's this psychologist, Dr. Vivien Flower."

"Well, as long as you paid attention in science class, you should be good."

Science was my worst subject in school. Let's not think about that now. "This Dr. Flower is probably some smoke-up-the-ass doctor who can misconstrue anything if paid the right amount."

"Is it just me, or has your language really escalated lately?"

"Sh, His Dishonor is coming. I can feel it."

Every word fell from all our mouths back into the pits of our stomachs as soon as the bailiff bellowed his "All rise." Kaito Taro took his place with an ecstatic smile, back to his old self, it would seem. He twirled his gavel in his fingers a couple times and was looking around as if waiting for something. I could already feel a headache coming on.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kaito asked, cocking his head to the side. "Oh, yes, of course. My apologies. You may be seated." Reminding myself not to roll my eyes like a child, I dropped back into my chair with the rest of the congregation. "Prosecution, first witness."

Meiko straightened her back as if caught off guard. The jury had been watching the whole scene, wondering if this was what all trials were really like. After a few moments of Meiko gathering her papers, Kaito said, "I don't have all day, Ms. Ursa. I thought this story was dragging on, so I want to get the show on the road."

"My apologies, Your Honor." One could see the vein popping out of Meiko's temple from the suburbs. They must have had a row since the prelim. Trouble in paradise? How unfortunate. "The prosecution calls Cul Noza up to the stand."

"Good job. Gold star." Part of me was glad he was making a fool out of her as opposed to me, but if this was the mood he was in… It was like predicting the behavior of a volatile toddler.

"Wasn't she here in the preliminary hearing?" Len whispered to me.

It felt like the first time I got a good look at him all morning. "Yeah, but since the jury wasn't there for that, she'll be testifying again. I have a feeling there'll be more to it this time, though."

He shrank back into his chair, like all accused people did when their fate was out of their hands. _Wait and see, Len. I won't buckle like last time._

 _Click, click, click-clack._ Thank God Cul Noza still had that melodious pen. I don't know what would have become of my day without it. She swore she would tell the truth in the exact same tone as she did before, slid into her seat exactly the way she did before in the exact outfit she wore before, and looked up at Meiko and only Meiko exactly like before. When I looked back at old trial videos where she and Meiko worked together, she acted the same way. Her language and information was always consistent, never wavering, and that would be her ultimate downfall.

"Cul, upon your examination of the corpse, what did you surmise the time of death was?" Oof, déjà vu.

"I determined it to be between the hours of 7 P.M. and 9 P.M. the evening of March 13," she answered. Yeah, I had definitely heard this before.

"And the cause?" Finally, we're spicing it up.

"A series of seven stab wounds across the abdominal, buccal, cervical, and volar regions of the body. Miki Star bled to death."

"Where was the body found exactly, and in what state?"

Cul clicked her pen a few times. "She was discovered in the river, having been decomposed there for over 24 hours. She was unrecognizable."

"Objection," I interjected. "As an expert witness, her field does not extend as to whether or not she could be recognized."

"Overruled," Kaito chirped. I saw how it was going to be played today.

Meiko gave a satisfied harrumph and motioned to the projector screen. Images of Miki's body flashed across the screen, and Len looked away. Her skin was gray and sagging, lacerated in countless places from all the branches and rocks that grazed on her way down the river. Her face was indeed unrecognizable, crushed in by a stab wound to her cheek. The jury's faces said it all. Someone in the spectators' box had to step outside and get some fresh air. Meanwhile, Mothy Star looked on without batting an eye.

"When you compared the wounds to items Len Kagamine had in his household, what did you discover?"

"Mr. Kagamine owns one kitchen knife, and it matches the wounds perfectly."

Someone on the jury whispered something to his neighbor. "Do you have an opinion as to where the actual crime took place?" Meiko went on.

"Yes. I believe it took place in an abandoned warehouse several miles up the river from where the body was discovered. Within it, fibers of Ms. Star's hairs were found on the floor and on a metal hook hanging from the ceiling." As Cul said this, Meiko showed pictures of the warehouse in question as well as the metal hook.

"Could you repeat what the time of death is for me?"

"Objection. Redundancy," I said, though I myself was feeling rather redundant at this point.

"Overruled."

"7 P.M. to 9 P.M."

"Thank you."

"Before you begin your cross-examination, Ms. Hidari, may I speak with you in my chambers?"

I narrowed my eyes up at His Dishonor and almost told him to shove his gavel up his—Maybe Yuka was right about the language. "Of course, Your Honor," I replied through gritted teeth. Standing up, I refused to look at anyone as I followed him to the back of the room and into his elusive chambers. It hadn't changed, save for the absence of the picture of his daughter. I didn't know why, but I felt like that was important.

He didn't take the time to sit down this time. Instead, Kaito Taro paced the room rather frantically, eyes occasionally darting to the window and to the door. "How are you, Ms. Hidari? Sleeping well?"

"If this is about another under-the-table deal, I assure you—"

"No, no, you wouldn't take it. I thought you would, since it was him, but I should've known better. No, I just wanted to be congenial with you. It seems we have misunderstood each other."

"Dare I ask if _you_ are feeling well, Your Honor?"

"Call me Kaito, please, and I'll call you Mayu. Good? Good. Do you play chess, Mayu?"

"Excuse me?" This man was giving me the heebie jeebies. Not going to lie. Maybe I should have run away or something. Tazed him. Filed for sexual harassment. None of that would have worked, of course, but it would at least get me out of this room with him.

" _Chess._ Do you play?" He looked at me like I was stupid.

"Y-Yes, a little," I answered.

"Good. Come to my home sometime, and we can play a game or two. Does that sound pleasant?"

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I can hardly stand to be in the same room with you."

"Go away now, would you? I have to think." He passed me and opened the exit, not angry per se, but overwhelmed. Numbly, I soldiered out and rejoined Len in the courtroom. All eyes were on me as I took my seat, and we all waited for His Dishonor to reappear.

"What happened?" Len asked me.

"I don't really know. Something about… chess, I think."

"Chess?"

The hall echoed with heavy footsteps, and silence stunned the room again. Kaito, hair slightly disheveled, retook his position at the bench and looked around again like he was waiting. "Come on, Ms. Hidari. Cross-examination," he prompted.

Shooting to my feet, I realized all of a sudden that Kaito may have been intending to throw me off my game. If he had, he wasn't go to succeed. Brusquely, I approached Cul Noza, still sitting straight-backed at the witness stand. "How certain are you in your autopsy, Ms. Noza?" I asked.

"As certain as I've ever been in a case," she recited without falter.

"Really?" I waltzed up to my desk, grabbed a file, and laid it out in front of her. "Exhibit 76. Could you open up to the first page, Ms. Noza?"

"Alright." She put down her pen and opened the file.

"What is it?" I continued.

"A record of my career and past cases," she answered.

"Objection," Meiko interrupted. "What does this have to do with the case at hand?"

"It puts into question the credibility of your sole physical evidence witness," I shot back.

"I don't know about that, Ms. Hidari," Kaito drawled. I looked up at him as he mouthed the word "chess" and clenched my fists tightly. "Sustained."

"Ms. Noza, have you ever dealt with a murder involving a dead body which had been submerged in water for such a long period of time?" I was getting pissed.

"It is not a common occurrence. My mentor—"

"I am asking if you yourself have ever done it, Ms. Noza."

"No, I have not." She clicked her pen with a frown.

"If you would turn to the next page," I commanded.

"It is statistics regarding the accuracy of autopsy regarding bodies decomposed while submerged in water."

"Would you say that one is substantially less accurate when examining bodies decomposed in water?"

"Yes…"

"Would you say that _you_ are substantially less accurate when examining bodies decomposed in water?"

"I—maybe."

"And yet you are as certain as you have ever been in a case?"

She didn't respond.

"Don't worry. You don't have to answer that. That will be all, Your Honor."

I sat down and took a drink of water as Meiko stood. "Redirect," she said. "How many years have you worked for the Ava Police Department, Ms. Noza?"

"Thirteen years," she replied, still sounding a bit disappointed.

"How many cases have you helped close thanks to your testimony?"

"I would say about 35."

"Thank you. That will be all." We waited in silence as Cul Noza stepped down. I never would see her again, though I had such a lack of opinion of her that I cannot bring myself to care. Expediency thrills, as His Dishonor said. It didn't take long for Meiko to call up her next witness. "Vivien Flower, please take the stand."

Her friends called her V, but no one in this room was her friend. Her hair was a shining silver, streaked with black, and to describe her in a word, she was… _sad._ A depressed psychologist… I felt oddly like I could relate to that. Anyway, every movement and wide-eyed glance about the room was filled with a sort of melancholy that made me want to get _her_ a psychologist. I had to remain on my guard, however. Looks could be deceiving.

"State your name and occupation," Meiko said. She was leaning over her desk, and some of the edge had left her voice. That was a good sign. Maybe she considered that last cross-examination as a victory for the old, damaged nerd crew over here.

"Dr. Vivien Flower, psychologist." Her voice was deeper than I expected but just as… mournful? Maybe she was just a sad human being.

"What field do you specialize in, Dr. Flower?"

"I interrupt human nature through examining a person's speaking and writing patterns."

"And have you been examining Len Kagamine's writing patterns?"

"Yes."

"Please, tell us what you think."

I didn't like this at all.

"Well." She sat up a little straighter. "It is clear to me that the patterns Mr. Kagamine displays throughout his writings are indicative of a troubled mind." Shoot me. Right now. Please. "The subject matter is one thing—present are hangings, cannibalism, women being kept in a man's basement as sex slaves, mass genocide by poisoning, bodies in the streets, shootings, stabbings, and the brutal murders of young people, namely young women."

"Objection," I said. "It's called being a mystery writer." Someone on the jury laughed at that.

"Moving on." Meiko ignored me. I was hurt emotionally. "Do you think that Len Kagamine is capable of murder?"

"Yes. Definitely," Dr. Flower answered. Smoke was currently billowing up the asses of everyone present. Calm down, Mayu. Stop being vulgar. "The witness is yours, Ms. Hidari."

"Dr. Flower, do you normally study the speech _and_ writing patterns of a person, or do you only study one?" I asked.

"It depends on what is available to me."

"Did you have the interrogation tapes of Mr. Kagamine made available to you?"

"No. I only studied his writing patterns."

"Alright. You read all his books? Front to back?"

"Almost," she replied forlornly.

I rifled through my bag and pulled out Len's second novel. "Can you turn to the second to last page of the entire book, please."

"Objection," Meiko said. "This book is not on the evidentiary list."

"It is clearly in relation to this case," I argued.

"Huh. I don't know, Ms. Hidari." Kaito was smiling. He did it again, mouthed "chess" like a child trying to get his best friend to team up with him on a group project.

I lost it inside. Before I could stop myself, I mouthed back "Fine."

"Overruled," he sang right away.

Feeling as if I'd sold my soul, I gave Dr. Flower the book. "Second to last page," I repeated.

"Okay." She flipped to the last chapter.

"No, of the entire book," I said. Hesitantly, she flipped a few more pages to the acknowledgements. "Read the second paragraph."

"'I have to thank my sister most of all for bearing every midnight phone call with laughter and every doubt with unwavering belief in me. Also, my editor, Miki, I don't want to know how many typos would be in here without your diligent work. I hope you and I get along like this for a long time, and we can do more great work together.' That's it."

Rin had her head in her hands, unable to show her tear-stained face to the peering eyes of justice. I let the words hang in the air a moment, my own heart squeezing painfully. "Did you factor _that_ into your interpretation of Len Kagamine?" I asked.

She looked down at her hands. "I factored in everything I felt necessary."

"That will be all."

"Redirect." I hadn't even taken my seat yet. "Dr. Flower, how would you classify Len Kagamine?"

She hesitated. "A sociopath at the very least."

"And can sociopaths lie about the validity of their relationships?"

"Yes… They can and do."

"Thank you. That will be all."

That will be all.

But it wasn't all.

There still was plenty more to come.


	14. Witnesses for the Prosecution

Clutching my tote bag tight against my side, I slid into my seat in the courtroom, and tried my best not to look like I was holding a bomb. Len, Yuka, and Rin were already there this fine spring morning, evidently concerned that I was nearly late. Wordlessly, I placed my tote on the table and slid out a plastic bag.

The County vs. Len Kagamine, Day 3.

"Is that…?" Yuka whispered.

I nodded. "Miki's journal." It was a thing of beauty. leather-bound and absolutely teeming with the aura of secrecy. "I just picked it up this morning."

"What's inside?" Len asked.

"I don't know. I have to open it in the presence of a member of the prosecution team or a police officer. It might be a few days before we find out."

Rin frowned. "There are way too many rules. I can hardly keep track of them."

"It doesn't matter how many rules there are. It only matters how many are followed," I replied, stealing a glance toward the judge's bench. His Dishonor would be here any moment now, and all I could do was hope that he wasn't collecting on his promise of a chess match any time soon.

Yuka and Rin shrank back into their seats as I hastened the notebook back inside my bag. I could feel Meiko Ursa's eyes boring into my side. She must have known there was something important in that journal, something that changed the game entirely.

"Hey," Len said, breaking me away from bears and notebooks and games.

"Hey."

"I feel like… we haven't talked in a while," he went on.

"Yeah, you're right." How long had it been exactly? A week, maybe? It felt longer.

Len averted his eyes, and I took a moment to examine the faint trace of bruising still left on his face. I opened my mouth to assure him that everything was going to be alright, like I had done a thousand times before, but he spoke before I could regurgitate my sentiments. "The other day, you were summoned into the judge's chambers. What exactly did he want?"

"U-Um." I hesitated. "Nothing in particular. He was just being strange. Something was bothering him, I think, about the case."

"That was all?" he asked. "Because—later on, he kept looking at you, and you would shake your head. But then you nodded and…"

"You're very perceptive," I said. "You think I'm paying him? You think I would do that?"

"That's not what I'm worried about! I'm worried about… I'm just worried about you."

"I can handle myself, Len, and I can certainly handle Kaito Taro."

"All rise."

I gave Len one last pointed look, and he reciprocated without flinching. Meanwhile, His Dishonor waltzed up to his bench and beamed at the crowd of onlookers which had only grown in number since last session. As he sat down, his robe puffed up, and he looked like a fat, black crow perched above us. Another long day was ahead of us, and my brief conversation with Len had already given me a headache. He didn't understand that the world we were currently living in was filled with broken rules and that broken rules were not meant to be spoken of. I regretted bringing him along to the sentencing hearing of Gumi Megpoid. He didn't need to see the extent of Kaito Taro's reach. He didn't have to look at me like I needed help. I didn't need help, okay?

Okay?

"The prosecution calls Yuki Kaai to the stand."

I sat up a little straighter, and so did the rest of the room as soon as they heard the soft patter of Maryjane's along the cold marble aisle. For most of the duration of her journey to the stand, all I could see were her black pigtails bobbing past the rows of spectators. I always felt pity for children who had to testify in such a capacious and intimidating place, but as she finally made it to the stand, I could see that her expression was dauntless. She looked unaffected, just like that time at the creek. I was more afraid for her than impressed.

Meiko was standing, gathering her most maternal qualities into a laser beam of sentimentality. Oh yes, Mama Bear was here. "Could you state your name for the record, little lady?" she asked. Was is just me or did Ms. Ursa sound remarkably more southern?

"Yuki Kaai," she replied matter-of-factly. Her huge eyes examined the room with avid curiosity. They had to place a box on her chair so she could see. "And I'm quite tall for my age, thank you very much."

"I apologize. And how old are you, exactly?"

"Nine. My birthday is in two months and four days."

"Well, that's exciting, isn't it?" She laughed rather forcefully. "Now, you know you are here for a very serious reason, right?"

"My mom said I have to tell the truth."

"That's right. I'm going to ask you some questions about March 14. Is that alright?"

She thought about it a moment. "Yeah, I guess."

"Okay. What were you doing at about 6 P.M. on March 14?"

"I was walking home from a friend's house," she answered rather loudly, so the whole room and the city of Ava could hear.

"Were you by the creek."

"Yeah. Duh."

Meiko cleared her throat. "Do you take that route home often?"

"Yeah. I take it to go to school and back too."

"What did you see?"

The members of the jury were either excited or saddened by the testimony underway. "There was a hump of white in the water," Yuki said, her voice very low all of a sudden.

"And then what did you do?"

"I went closer to the water…"

"And?"

"It was caught in some branches. There was… reddish hair."

"Then what did you do?"

"I screamed, and the man at the fish store came and then called the police."

"How do you feel about this experience, Yuki?"

"My mom said it's very angering."

"But what do _you_ say?"

"I'm… I'm sad, I guess. I saw a picture of her on the news. She was pretty."

"Thank you, Yuki. That will be all."

As I stood up, before His Dishonor could even say "cross-examination," Yuki blurted out, "My mom says I still can't talk to you."

A few short laughs sparked throughout the courtroom. "Well, that's unfortunate," I replied with a glint of a smile. "About the case or in general?"

"Hm. About the case." She gave me a wink, which seemed to dampen Mama Bear's forced grin a bit.

"Well, that's alright, I guess, because I have a few questions about the days before the incident," I said.

"Okay."

"Did you see anyone strange loitering by the creek two days before you found Ms. Star's body?" It may be worth noting that I had been asking around the shops that line the creek without rest, and there was a surprising amount of people who saw someone very memorable by that creek on that day. Someone whose aura was "unforgettable." Come on, Yuki. You know who I'm talking about.

"Yes," she answered dutifully.

"Why did this person catch your eye, and what did this person look like?"

"I've been thinking about that a lot, thank you very much," she said with her head held high in the air. "And I remember that she was a woman, and she was really scary looking. She was staring at the creek and then walk a little bit and then stare at the creek again. She was scary. She had green hair."

My smile twitched. Green? Green hair? "Green hair," I repeated with uncertainty.

"Green hair," she confirmed. "When she turned I could see it. She was also wearing a really long, black dress."

"Thank you," I said, forgetting if I had any other questions all of a sudden. "You did a good job, Yuki. You may go now." But I wasn't looking at her when I said that; I was looking at the woman behind the prosecution's bench. I was looking at Mothy. Something vile crawled along my stomach when I looked at her. She reciprocated my gaze with icy coldness, her gaze somehow bemused despite the sharp chill.

"What was that all about?" Yuka asked from behind me.

"Yellow… I could have sworn she would say yellow. All the other witnesses corroborated that she had yellow hair."

"Why is it so important that she had yellow hair?"

Len looked at me with wide eyes, understanding what I was saying. "You think…?" he trailed off.

"I don't know," I replied.

"You may call your next witness, dearest prosecution," Kaito announced.

I put rubbed my temples, knowing exactly what name she was going to say and not altogether mentally prepared for it. "Gakupo Kamui," Meiko said coarsely. You and me both, Meiko. You and me both.

I could smell the cologne before I could see the man. Sweet Lord, shoot me right now. Please. However, no one did shoot me right that instant, and instead I was forced to watch that inanely tall rosebush of a human being gallivant up to the witness stand and flash a shameless smile toward the gaunt Ms. Ursa. It might be hard to imagine why us females were reacting this way, due to there being only one encounter which I have described, but trust me, _trust me_ , he may have a heart somewhere under that tanned skin, though it did not change the fact that he would take anything that breathed to bed with him immediately. I did not tell Len this for good reason, but maybe I should have warned Ms. Ursa.

"State your name for the record," Meiko mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Gakupo asked with crossed legs and shaded eyes.

"State your name."

"Oh, Gakupo Kamui. I am a police officer."

"Great. Can you tell me where you were the afternoon of the 13th?"

"Of March?"

"…Yes, of March."

I couldn't tell if he was joking or purposefully irritating her in some misguided loyalty toward me. Either way, he hadn't looked my direction once since his grand entrance. "I was working at the precinct, of course."

"And did Miki Star come into the station?"

"Yes, at around 6 P.M. I believe I was the last person to see her alive."

"Except for the killer."

"Except for the killer…"

"What happened, Officer Kamui? Why was she there?"

"I don't know exactly, but she was wandering around like she was lost. I went up to her and asked if anything was wrong. She was muttering something… Something about her being late to a meeting with a colleague."

"Did she look frightened?"

"Yes, but before I could further question her, she stumbled away."

"May the record know that after questioning every colleague Ms. Star had, none of them claimed to have had a meeting set with the victim. In fact, the only writer she was currently working with was Len Kagamine."

"Defense, any objections?" Kaito sang.

"No," I said shortly.

"I didn't think so. I am finished." She sat down, seeming relieved that she would never have to talk to Gakupo ever again.

"Cross-examination, Ms. Hidari?" Kaito asked.

"No need, Your Honor," I replied.

"Ah, well that went surprisingly quickly," he said. "Why don't we have a half hour recess? Then we can get to your last witness, Ms. Ursa."

Meiko nodded brusquely, and the sound of Kaito's gavel rang sharply in my ears.


	15. Restless

I felt a cold hand impress upon my back, but when I turned around no one was there. For the first time in my life I had felt the cool press of death, that feeling of foreboding metallic in my mouth, oddly and startlingly familiar. She thought that since we didn't dream we couldn't feel it, but like so many other things, she was wrong. I felt it. I felt it every day in some way or another. I felt it when I looked at Len or saw that distant gaze in Yuka's eyes. I felt it in the way Rin fretted over her makeup or the way Gakupo smiled when he thought people weren't looking. I felt it in everyone.

Shaking my head, totally aware of how crazy I was becoming, I turned back around and leaned back against the warm wooden wall outside the courtroom. I went here to get away from all the eyes for a moment during the half hour recess Kaito had graciously bestowed upon us and also to avoid talking to Len. I really should have apologized for being so abrasive, but following an apology usually was an explanation. So, I decided to run away instead and hide in a hole where I would hopefully die before having to go back into that room of eyes.

When the reporters started shuffling back in after their prolonged bathroom breaks, I reluctantly gathered my tote bag protectively in my arms and headed inside. Rin, Len, and Yuka were all chatting about something but abruptly stopped when I sat down, leading me to believe, with the ingenuity of a high school girl, that they were talking about me. The way Len was guiltily avoiding eye contact reaffirmed my conclusion, and the sad part (well, there were many sad parts to this) was that I couldn't bring myself to care. I had a witness to witness, after all, and if I let my mind wander and miss something vital, I would not have forgiven myself.

"Th-This last witness is Lily, right?" Len asked after a moment.

"Yes, and she's Ms. Ursa's _key_ witness," I replied mechanically. "She was originally going to be her first witness, but Lily must have gotten the jitters. She's very malleable, and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Ah, okay…"

I looked at him sharply, but tried my best to keep my voice soft. "If I'm ever in trouble, I'll tell you, alright? You'll be the first person I call. You don't have to worry about me."

He nodded as if he didn't believe me. I didn't believe me either. So, the four of us musketeers pursed our lips in awkward silence until the crow swooped back in and landed on his perch with a few arrogant caws which were probably words, but I honestly didn't care anymore. I only tuned back in when I heard Meiko's voice resonate across the room.

"The prosecution calls Ms. Lily Mosh to the stand."

Lily came in an orange skirt suit and a pair of wedged heels. Her blond hair was no longer a perfect imitation of Meiko's, but the Lily-ness, everything young and cheerful that I saw in that portfolio of photos, had been sucked out of her face completely. She was a shadow of her former self, and I couldn't help but recognize her tired eyes from the mirror in my home.

The old young woman took her seat at the stand and swore she would tell the truth with forceful clarity. The sea of onlookers behind me were silent as death; they knew as well as I that this was the prosecution's case. Just this.

"What is your name and relationship to the victim, Miki Star?"

"My name is Lily Mosh, and she was my best friend and roommate," Lily replied.

"Lily—May I call you Lily?"

"Of course."

What a useless exchange of words. It was like I was watching a courtroom drama on the TV. "How did Miki and you meet?"

"We were in college. We sat next to each other in English class. She seemed like a cool—like a good person, so I invited her to a party one weekend, and we hit it off."

Meiko smiled like lawyers were supposed to smile. "And you moved in together after college?"

"Yes. Well, I'm still in medical school, but she went off to work in a publishing company."

"And after she joined this company was the first time you heard of Len Kagamine?"

"Yes… Len Kagamine."

"Did Miki ever talk about him—or any of her clients?"

"Yes. Often. She loved telling me about them."

"And how did she describe Len Kagamine?"

"When she first starting working with him, she thought he was cute in an awkward sort of way, and they seemed to get along well. But..."

"But?"

"Well, recently, she had been avoiding talking about him, and when she got back from their meetings, she seemed visibly upset."

"Did you ever ask her about this?"

"Of course, but she would never give me a straight answer. Towards the end, she would tell me when she was going to have a meeting with him, just out-of-the-blue would tell me, as if she wanted me to remember it. She was scared in those last days. Really scared."

"What do _you_ think happened between Miki and Len? You were closest to her, of course."

"Well… Miki was a very pretty girl… It wouldn't surprise me if he had taken a liking to her that wasn't _reciprocated._ " She said the words slowly, and she flitted her eyes toward the jury. Her shoulders had stiffened, however, which led me to believe that discomfort had taken root in her somewhere, like for the first time she did not believe the words she said. How curious… Out of all the things to lie about, why a speculation? My grip tightened on my tote bag. Everything was laid out in that journal… I just knew it.

"What do you remember about Miki on the day of her death?"

"We got up in the morning like normal, and she went to work. When she got back, she told me she was going to meet Len Kagamine to discuss his book. She seemed very frightened. Very frightened."

"So, she was planning on meeting Len Kagamine at the approximate time of death, to the best of your knowledge."

"Yes. She was going to run some errands and then meet him. She told me that specifically."

Meiko let that sink it for a minute. "Was there anyone else Miki was uncomfortable around?"

"Objection. Ms. Mosh cannot answer that question without speculation," I said off-handedly, but my mind was still on the book. That lock, those locked pages, what was Miki trying to tell us? Why didn't the prosecution investigate it before?

"Sustained," Kaito said. I hardly noticed, but he was watching me rather keenly.

"Fine," Meiko conceded. "Lily, do _you_ know of anyone Miki was uncomfortable around other than Len Kagamine?"

"No. She was friendly to everyone else I had ever seen her interact with," Lily answered loudly.

"Thank you, Lily. That will be all for now."

"Mayu—Ms. Hidari, your cross-examination." Kaito faked stumbling his words and narrowed his eyes at Len to see his reaction. God, I hoped chess was codeword for a fight to the death, because I would be all for some of that right about now. Also, a glass of wine, but then I remembered that all my bottles were rotting in some dump hole somewhere, never to be seen by anything again except rats and flies.

 _"Just like Miki."_

I stood up like I had been jolted with electricity. Looking at Lily carefully, I did not smile like lawyers are supposed to, but rather I imagined for the first time Miki Star the living woman being stabbed seven times, eyes most likely locked on the perpetrator, knowing she was going to die any second but not wanting to. No, I don't want to die. Why are you doing this? Why would you, a person I trusted, a person I would meet with in a warehouse if asked? Why…

If I was Miki, I would want the truth. If I was Lily, I would want the truth, and yet we were all so far from it, it was a wonder that it actually existed. So, I didn't smile, but I looked at her with a question that asked more than all the questions Meiko and I had been spewing this entire trial so far, and I hoped she felt it deeply.

I began with the questions from the prelim. I went through them one by one, and spoke softly, methodically, never taking my eyes off Lily, never blinking.

"Are you a psychologist, Ms. Mosh?"

"So, everything is based off your own opinion, Ms. Mosh?"

"Has Miki ever lied, Ms. Mosh?"

"Really? She never lied? Ever? Ever throughout her entire life she never lied, Ms. Mosh?"

Meiko intervened at this point. "Objection. Your Honor, the defense is being hostile toward the witness."

"And how am I doing _that,_ Ms. Ursa?" I retaliated.

"You are… staring at her to purposefully make her uncomfortable and to intimidate her," she replied.

"I apologize if I am making you uncomfortable, but I cannot change my face and voice. I also do not recall there being a sanction against looking at the witness."

"Your Honor, you know what I am talking about."

"I don't know, Ms. Ursa. Everything seems normal to me," His Dishonor answered with an exaggerated shrug of the shoulders. "Overruled."

"Ms. Mosh, did the police update you regularly on the investigation while it was in progress?" I continued with my line of questioning.

"No, but they updated Miki's mother, and she informed me their findings every hour."

"Are you aware of any other suspect being investigated _besides_ Len Kagamine?"

"There was… I cannot seem to recall off the top of my head."

"Ex-boyfriends? Co-workers? You?"

"Ms. Hidari," Meiko interjected.

"Ms. Ursa," I responded testily.

"Are you seriously accusing the witness of murder without any evidence to back your claim?"

"No, I am asking a question, a concept you seem to find difficult to understand."

"She has been through many traumatic events regarding the death of her friend. We should not push her."

"Actually, we _should_ find the truth. That is the purpose of this trial."

"No, I do not remember Miki's mother mentioning other suspects," Lily piped up. "But I do not remember most of that day between the discovery of her body and Len Kagamine's arrest. It's all a blur, to be honest."

Meiko turned away from me with a small "hmph," and I cleared my throat. "Thank you, Ms. Mosh. I only want to ask you two more things. Firstly, I would like to know if there is something regarding Miki that you have not told the court."

"Excuse me?" She rubbed her hands together and glanced at Meiko once.

"I'm asking if there's anything strange regarding Miki or her death that you haven't said yet. Anything that can help us find the killer. Finding the killer is the most important job we have here, isn't it? Why would withholding the truth help us find it?"

"Objection, Your Honor. Is this a cross-examination or an interrogation?" Meiko asked from far away.

"Ms. Mosh, this is important," I went on. Her head hung low, avoiding eye contact with me. "Miki deserves the truth to come out, right? _You_ deserve it. Even if it seems trivial, anything new regarding her murder can bring us one step closer to the perpetrator—whoever you think it is. Please, Ms. Mosh, just answer the question—"

"Len Kagamine did it, alright?!" she burst. "He did it, and there's nothing you can say to change that! Sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one! So, stop pushing me and let me leave!" Tears were streaming down her face, and the veins in her arms stuck out like webs of blue. I stood there, mouth clamped shut, nodded once, and took my seat.

"And with that," Meiko said. "The prosecution rests."

I bounded down the courtroom steps after my brief farewells with Len and the rest of them. The afternoon sky greeted me warmly, and I wanted to punch something hard. Luckily, something very punchable approached me from behind.

"Mayu!" Gakupo sang, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Not now, Eggplant Man," I replied, pushing his hand off curtly. My entire thoracic cavity was filled with frustration. Today was not a victory. Not at all. Failure. You _failure._ You didn't have to push Lily so far. You just gave the prosecution a grenade of sentimentality and allowed her to shove it down your throat.

"Eggplant Man? I guess you're still mad at me…" Gakupo pouted. Gakupo, a grown man, a police officer, pouted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know eggplants could talk," I said, continuing to walk down the sidewalk toward the parking garage.

"Mayu," he drawled. "I'm sorryyyyy. I miss our card tournaments… I didn't want to testify, you know."

"I'm not mad because you testified," I snapped. "I am mad because you avoided me for what has been the hardest weeks of my life, and now all of a sudden want to pretend like everything is normal!" Seething, I quickened my pace, but unfortunately, he followed close behind.

Gakupo didn't say a word until I at last reached my car. Forcing myself to look his direction, I cocked a hip and waited for him to say something. "I'm sorry," he said again.

Blowing my bangs out of my face, I replied, "I know."

"I won't ever do it again?"

"Uh-huh."

He looked around to check if the lot was empty and then hastily got down on his knees. "Please forgive me?"

Pushing down a laugh, I rolled my eyes and conceded. "Alright."

Jumping up he pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! Okay, euchre, Tuesday afternoon, the park, be there!"

"Alright, alright. Now, go, before I call the cops on you."

He flashed a smile and ran away at top speed. A tiny grin even managed to remain on my face as I started my car and began my drive home, but soon enough it was replaced by a deep frown, followed swiftly by the headache and the cold hand which pressed against my back, always attempting to push me closer and closer to the edge.


	16. Pawn

I don't know why, but police stations in this city always seemed to be forty degrees colder than they need to be. Was that just me? Because, here I was, standing in a room in some dark crevasse of Precinct 7, being dutifully scrutinized by an officer guarding the door, wearing my normal, business-formal spring attire, waiting for a bear-woman who was already ten minutes late, feeling as if I had stepped into bin of ice water in only a bikini and a pair of socks. Why? I would have to ask Gakupo later.

My heart was trembling, and not just because of the arctic winds blowing through here. It was trembling because of the journal laying on the metal table in front of me. Miki's journal. I could feel the breakthrough coming to me as if the notebook itself could send thoughts to me without ever opening to one of its pages. If only it didn't have a lock in need of breaking (technically, a compromise of evidence). Then, I would have been able to open it without prying eyes or prying paws. I had a plan, of course. Justice had its loopholes, after all.

When the door finally opened, I quitted hugging myself for warmth and faced my adversary with a degree of passive-aggressiveness that satisfied the tension in the air. Meiko matched wits easily, pulling the cuffs of her jacket further down her wrists to shield them from the chill. In her paws were bolt cutters, and I almost thought she was going to snap my rabbit neck with it. However, she placed them gently on the table and signaled the officer that he may take his leave. Once the door shut behind him, Meiko looked at me with a contempt I felt was not there before, back when she showed up on my doorstep with a challenge and a promise.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" she said.

"Yes. Let's," I replied.

With a sigh, she took back up her bolt cutters and positioned the notebook in front of her. With a sharp _snip_ the lock was off, and I wasted no time in pulling the journal toward me and into my arms. "Well, thank you for coming."

"You are not thinking of leaving with the book, are you?" she asked.

"Well, technically you only had to be present for the compromise of the evidence, and since it was in my legal possession beforehand, I suggest you get a court order if you want to look inside. Or you could just wait until trial. Either way works for me."

Meiko smirked. "So, you show your true colors at last, Ms. Hidari. I was a fool to have put so much faith in your morals."

"I am only playing the game, Ms. Ursa. I have done nothing illegal. I might just give you this notebook after I'm done examining it, if you want it so badly—"

"I am not talking about the silly notebook," she interjected. "I am talking about the breach of our agreement we made before trial began. You have so obviously given into Kaito Taro's greed."

"Ridiculous."

"Why else would he be favoring you so heavily?"

"I can't tell you why he does what he does!" I shot. "But I didn't pay him anything, and I never will." With my head held high, I walked out of the room, journal hugged tight against my thumping chest.

Home. Living room. Couch. Pulling on my plastic gloves, I laid the journal on the coffee table and ran my fingers along its leather accents. The grandfather clock against the wall across from me chimed four times, causing me to jump and quickly take a peek out the window in case someone was there. Closing the curtains, I went back to the couch and, shaking the silly paranoia away, opened the book to where the pages naturally parted.

Several small, thick pieces of paper had been enclosed between the pages, and they slid out onto the table. On the pages themselves, the right side was blank, but the left seemed to have some sort of journal entry. Multiple pages had been ripped out, as well. Swiftly flipping through the rest of the book, it would seem the entries stopped on the page I turned to. It was dated March 3, ten days before Miki took her last breath. Whatever entries were written after that were only known now by the person who ripped them out. Miki herself? The killer?

Adrenaline pumping into every inch of my body, I forced my eyes to focus on the March 3 entry.

 _3/3_

 _I feel as if the investigation has come to a stand-still. The names on that list seem totally disconnected besides the obvious exception of family relations and the justice system. A judge, a prosecutor, a cop, two criminals… How can I find justice for her like this? Who could have done it? My first assumption of the father's involvement remains my most plausible theory, but I mustn't let my guard down for anybody, not the powerful, not Len Kagamine. There is no such thing as coincidence, after all. I hope to bring more satisfying news soon._

Well, that wasn't vague at all.

Turning to the loose papers that fell out of the journal, I picked up the top item—what seemed to be a card. The paper itself was some sort of cardstock, but no company symbol or barcode was printed on the back. When I finally looked inside, I was greeted with a royal blue cursive number _7._ I stared at that _7_ a long time, waiting for my mind to get it together and figure out why it felt familiar. When no epiphany came, I gingerly put it down to be more thoroughly examined later, and took up the only other piece of evidence left, a slip of paper the size of a postcard and the same cardstock as the peculiar number 7, though half of it was completely water damaged. It read as follows:

 _Rin Kagamine_

 _Len Kagamine_

 _Gakupo Kamui_

 _Gumi Megpoid_

 _Miku T-_

The rest of the list was unreadable, merely three clouds of ink in a sea of topography-like paper. The list… Miki mentioned something about a list in her journal. Seeing Len's name, not in the same slanting hand as that in the notebook, filled me with a kind of dread difficult to describe scientifically. Rin and Gakupo and Gumi… I knew all these people. All except Miku T.—whoever that was. Oh, there it was again. That twinge of familiarity. Come on, Mayu, where have you heard that name? Where the number 7?

The doorbell rang. Thanks, doorbell. Thanks for breaking the mood.

When I reached my front door, a letter was sitting on the wooden floor. Bending down to retrieve it, I noticed the wax seal of the letter _T_ and immediately knew who it was from. I ripped it open and read the short letter in approximately two seconds.

 _Dearest Mayu,_

 _You are cordially invited to a highly anticipated game of chess at the Taro Manor tonight at 7 P.M. sharp. I have disclosed my address below. Do not be late._

 _Always a friend,_

 _Kaito Taro_

I wrote down the address and burned the letter. Watching the flames consume it entirely, I told myself that it was only a game of chess, and everything Meiko accused me of and everything Len worried about was a lie. The letter was ashes now, and I got up to read the rest of Miki's journal. The flames still appeared blue in my eyes when I blinked, and so they remained with me for a long time. A long time.

6:30 P.M. It was time to leave. Stretching my back, I put down the journal, Miki's words still swimming in my mind. More pages, I discovered, were torn out, but there was still so much information to take in. I could almost feel Miki now, next to me, watching. Don't worry. It will all be over soon.

As I reached the front door, the bell rang again. Sighing, I opened it to find Len, a bit startled that I reached the door so quickly. "Hey," I said, forgetting all of a sudden how I was supposed to act around him. Was I avoiding him? I couldn't seem to remember. All I could remember (or not remember) was the name Miku and the number 7 and the words of a girl I will never meet. "I, uh, I was just heading out."

"Oh," Len said. "Sorry, well, okay. I thought we should talk is all."

"Talk. Yes, I have something to tell you, but not right now. I'm running a little late."

"Where are you going?"

I paused. "The library."

"Can I come with you?"

"No," I replied too quickly. "I mean, that's not necessary. You can just spend the evening with Rin at home."

"That's all I've been doing for weeks, Mayu. I just—I really think we should talk."

I shut the front door behind me and took a few steps toward my car in the driveway. "And talk we shall. Just—not tonight. Tomorrow, maybe?" I was at the car door now. Almost there.

"You're not going to the library, are you?" he asked, and the expression on his face was unidentifiable.

I looked at him once, got in my car, and pulled away. When I was around the corner, I screamed and punched the roof several times. I could still see the flames when I blinked my eyes, and the evening was far from over.

Taro Mansion was… Well, it was a mansion, alright.

Kaito's monolith sat outside city limits, a Victorian complex of two stories and at least 6,000 square feet, not including the lengthy cobblestone drive past the gilded front entrance and the garden, its spring foliage murky in the purple gloaming. The windows in the house itself were blotted black, under the veil of curtains or disuse. Rolling to a stop in front of the monstrous entrance, a wooden piece accentuated by medieval metal bars, I fully expected some half-dead valet to escort me to the stoop, but only the cicadas greeted me there. The air was uncomfortably chilly, and I walked to the doors as fast as my heels could carry me. There was no doorbell, so I hesitantly grabbed hold of the cat-shaped knocker and banged it against the wood three times.

The doors creaked open almost instantaneously, and once again, I was not greeted by a servant in silk trouser and a silver platter. In fact, I had the unfortunate honor to see the master of the house himself. Kaito Taro smiled like a cat.

"You're here right on time. Perfect, Ms. Hidari. Perfect," he said, opening the door only wide enough for me to squeeze through.

"Yeah, whatever," I replied, pushing into the foyer and resisting the urge to look around.

"Do you like my residency?" he asked, fluidly gliding his hand about the room.

I shrugged. "I've seen better." And I had, but where, I couldn't tell you.

He smiled again. "You have. I apologize for inviting you on such short notice, but I truly felt in the mood for a game tonight. What about you?"

"I'm always in the mood for a game, Your Dishonor," I murmured, my eyes drawing to a wheelchair against the wall, a saturnine sight in the golden light of the chandelier.

"My daughter's," Kaito answered my unspoken question. "She is very sickly."

"How old is she?" I asked.

"16. A beautiful girl, lovely girl. She's sleeping now, so we must be mindful. Come along. I already have the board set up."

Our echoes followed us as we went from room to magnificent room, finally landing in what seemed to be a library. Books lined every wall and occupied every crevasse. Two wingback armchairs were positioned on either side of a chess board on a wooden table, and we took our spots without banter. His pieces were black while mine were white. I made my first move. Pawn g4.

"Do you know why I asked you here?" Kaito said, eyes hidden underneath his lashes like he was trying to flirt, though we both knew the context behind his movements was of a very different nature. He grabbed his piece swiftly but moved it methodically. Pawn c6.

"No, but you are undoubtedly going to tell me." I made my move with little hesitance.

"I'm lonely, Mayu. I really am. I have no one sane I can talk to about the subjects I am interested in." He was now looking at me, and continued to do so even as he moved his pieces.

"You have a daughter, and some semblance of friends, I'm sure. I suppose your wife is out of the picture."

"Died in childbirth, sadly, but what I want to talk about would only sound crazy to her, and to my daughter and semblance of friends."

"And somehow I would understand?"

"No, you won't, but at least you would _try_ to understand. That's how you've always been. Always trying to solve the mystery, save the boy, and live happily ever after."

I laughed mirthlessly, trying my best to keep up with the game on the board and in the air between us. "'Always?' It sounds like you think I've been experienced anything like this before."

"And there we have our first misunderstanding. No matter, I can't explain it to you anyway, or I'll be scolded terribly. I just find it interesting that you have remained constant while everyone else has been so sporadic. Why is that? Why are you and your friend here when you are not one of us? I've asked many times but have never been given a straight answer. I am missing something terribly. Do you ever feel like you're missing something terribly?"

"Right now is a good example," I replied, having not processed a single thing he was going on about.

"And your fascination with the Kagamine boy is so strange. What about him is so extraordinary that it transcends logic and memory, hm? Well, I suppose I can understand in my own way how it feels… You are so lucky, Mayu. Did you know that?"

"I—"

"When Miku was born, I almost couldn't stand it. Sure, it had happened once before, but I couldn't remember then. My daughter, my friend, my… I was being played with. I almost took my own life. Wouldn't that have been a tragedy? You don't have to answer that. I know you wouldn't have cared—wait." He stood all of a sudden. "No, you would have, wouldn't you? Yes. Maybe I see now why she keeps you here. You're her antithesis. You're her exact opposite. Even if I tried to stab myself in the heart right now, you wouldn't let me, would you? Would you?"

I sat as far back in my seat as I could go, alarmed and a bit frightened. Sweet Lord, he's lost it. He's absolutely lost it. It's gone.

Kaito's smile deteriorated slightly, and he made his final move. "Checkmate. You may go now." And he left the room without another word.

Numbly, I made my way back to the foyer and was able to bend down toward the wheelchair and read the name "Miku Taro" once before going back to my car. The drive home was a blur, and I was in bed already when I blinked my eyes. Whatever the hell that was, one thing was for certain. Miku T. existed, and she might have been the key to everything.


	17. Cleared of Suspicion

The prison was cold, much like the police station. I'd been learning that wherever justice lived, it was dreadfully cold.

"Sorry I'm late," I said as soon as I sat down in the fourth cubicle of the vacant visiting center. They had polished the glass recently, and I could see Luka's pale face with striking clarity.

"No, it's fine," she replied with a thin smile. "I wasn't going anywhere." Before I could force a laugh, she went on, "The trial. How's it going?"

"It's… going. The defense's case begins in a few days."

"You look tired."

"I didn't get much sleep last night." The night of the chess match. When I woke up this morning, I almost convinced myself it was a dream.

"The prosecutor you're up against wouldn't happen to be Meiko Ursa, would it?" Luka asked, tapping her fingers against the metal table. It sounded like rain.

"Yes, it is, actually."

Luka slipped a business card out of her pocket and pressed it up against the glass. It read _"Meiko Ursa, Ava Prosecuting Office,"_ and it looked nicer than mine. "I figured. She paid me a visit yesterday."

"Why?" I questioned sharply.

"She was asking if you had revealed any indication of bribing Kaito Taro, except she said it more softly."

"God, she won't lay off that, will she?" I buried my face in my hands a moment, afraid all of a sudden that she would discover the chess game. "I would never pay him. Never."

"Yeah, I mean, that's pretty obvious to me. I wonder why she would think that." I averted my gaze to the ceiling and tried to push down the feeling of guilt. It was a chess game. Just a chess game, right? I wasn't losing my morals or anything, right? I wasn't letting him win, right? "You look like you know why she would think that," Luka said.

"Well…"

"Mayu…"

"So, here's the deal," I began, trying to throw it out there as quickly as possible. "He kept overruling my objections, and he brought me to his chambers and invited me to a chess match and I said 'no' of course but then I needed to get this piece of evidence through—I _needed_ to—and so I indicated subtly that fine, I'll play a game of chess with him, and so last night he sent this cryptic note telling me to meet him at his mansion so I went over there and we played the strangest game of chess I've ever experienced and I think he might have lost his mind." Deep breath.

Luka closed her eyes. "Mayu, I think _you've_ lost your mind."

"I didn't pay him any money."

"But you _colluded._ Isn't that illegal?"

"You know what's illegal? Arresting Len with the miniscule evidence they had. _That_ was illegal. What was I supposed to do? Len's life was at stake."

"My life was at stake, and you remained strong. You didn't let Taro manipulate you, and I respect you for that. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. You think Len wants you to play creepy chess matches with him in his mansion of creepiness?"

"This is _Len,_ we're talking about here. I have to do everything I can to save him. _Everything._ "

"I see. With my case, it was fine to wallow in pride, but now that it's Len…"

"Luka, you know that's not what I meant. I love you like a sister. You know that. I didn't know what Kaito was capable of back then. I thought we had it nailed right up until they announced the verdict. I can't make the same mistake twice, even if I have to play his little game."

"Len wouldn't want you doing this."

"I don't care," I snapped. "Even if he hates me, as long as he's free, I'm happy."

"I don't believe you," she sang. "And what if he hates you _and_ he's found guilty?"

My shoulders sank. "I don't want to think about it. I can't think about it. I won't let myself."

"I love you like a sister too, Mayu. You have to promise me that you're going to tell him everything. And I mean _everything,_ " Luka said.

"Fine," I conceded. "Yes, fine. I… don't want to upset him anymore."

"And promise you won't play any more chess games or whatever with His Dishonor." Luka was the first person I told about that nickname. God, how long ago was that?

"I can't promise that."

"Mayu—"

"What if I told you that Kaito Taro has more to do with this case than being its presiding judge?" I asked quietly.

She looked at me strangely. "What do you mean?"

"I can't speak any more about it. Not here. But, you're going to have to trust me on this."

"I always do, don't I?" Luka said, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, you're a pushover like that."

She smiled briefly, but at least it wasn't forced.

One hour later, I was outside Rin's apartment, the doorbell's chime still hanging in the air. After a moment, I pressed the button again, and at last, Len opened the door. His eyes widened when he saw me there. It would seem he didn't know what to say.

"Is Rin home?" I asked.

"No," he replied. Then, belatedly, "She has a shift."

"Do you still want to know where I was last night?"

He nodded slowly.

"Well, it may take a bit of explaining, but—" I held up my bulging tote bag. "—I came prepared."

We sat across from each other on the couch, and after I assured him I was fine without water or anything, thank you, I pulled out a manila envelope from my bag and extracted a series of photos from inside. Len was quiet. Well, quieter than usual (though "usual" came in scarcity these days). I pushed down the lingering nerves responding to the fear of him being still upset with me and trudged forward with spurious confidence.

"Who do you think killed Miki, Len? I've never asked you before," I said.

"Who do I think…? I-I don't know. I can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt her." He leaned slightly across the table to match my level of intensity.

"I know how you feel, but after seeing and hearing the trial so far, you must be leaning toward someone. _Someone_ undoubtedly killed her, right?"

"I… hate to think this, but Lily seems suspicious, I guess. It was her testimony that first incriminated me, and I don't know why else she would be lying."

"That is a solid theory, my friend. Maybe this can shed some more light on the mystery." I slid the list of names—Len, Rin, Gumi, Gakupo, Miku—across the table. "Found in between the pages of Miki's journal." I waited until he read through the names.

His face scrunched up in concentration. "I don't understand. Why would she write this?"

"She didn't. It's not Miki's handwriting. The passages in her journal are cryptic, but it seems like she was investigating the people whose names are on this list. She suspected that one of them had somehow harmed a friend who she doesn't name. That's why she went to see Gakupo the day she was murdered. Not to file a police report or beg for help. That's why she began acting strange around you."

"But, why? Why Rin? And isn't it too much a coincidence that Gakupo is involved too?" I could see every fiber of his being fighting against the truth, a feeling I knew well.

"Let me lay it out more decisively for you, our list of suspects."

From the stack of photos, I pulled out a picture of Miki and placed it in the center of the coffee table. Then, I set my recorder down and pressed _record._ "Miki Star, our victim. Those most closely related to her are Lily Mosh—" I placed down a picture of Lily above the one of Miki and next to it went Miki's mother. "—and Mothy Star. They are obviously suspects. Next are those on the list. Len Kagamine, Rin Kagamine, Gakupo Kamui, Gumi Megpoid, and Miku T." Five photos plopped down under Miki's picture, save for Miku's, which was replaced by the _7_ cardthat came with the list. "There are also three more anonymous persons, names blotted out by water. It is unknown if this was intentional or not." I placed down three blank cards where their pictures would have been. "The last suspects include significant persons related to those in the list. These include Yuka Yuzuki and Mayu Hidari." Down go the pictures of us lovely ladies. "And finally, Kaito Taro." His photo went next to Miku's card. Father and daughter. Even without knowing what Miku looked like, it felt wrong to me somehow.

I took a deep breath, stealing a glance towards Len's rapt face. "Now, I'm going to go out on a limb here. I don't like making such brash assumptions, but I'm feeling adventurous." I flipped over the picture of me. "I'm ruling out myself as the killer. No, no—Don't laugh! You'll ruin the recording!" But we were laughing anyway. Getting ahold of myself, I continued, "With that same logic, I am ruling out you, Rin, and Yuka. Gakupo Kamui is also cleared. When he was questioned by the police, he provided an airtight alibi. He was trying to pick up women in a bar, if you can believe it. I know I can. Anyway, those are the only people without suspicion at this point in time." I stopped the recording and looked up expectantly at Len.

"Miku T.," he stated simply.

"Kaito Taro's daughter. Age 16. Her name is on the list."

"Can you be sure the 'T' stands for Taro?"

"If you heard the things I heard last night, you would know Kaito is not who he seems to be."

"Last night?"

"Here, come with me. I'll explain the rest of it in the car."

"Are we going somewhere?"

"Oh, yeah. To the hub of justice itself. Can't seem to stay away too long."

This time when we arrived at the courthouse, we walked past the courtrooms and judges' chambers and into the administration branch. Striding up to the information desk, I pulled out my ID and said, "I would like to request the birth certificate and legal history of Miku Taro." Len was next to me, trying his best to look as professional as I did.

The woman at the counter inspected the ID carefully. "Is this for an ongoing trial, Miss… Hidari, is it?" She pushed up her glasses at me.

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm afraid I cannot help you. Have a nice day."

"Wait, wait. Why can't you? This is a legal matter."

She didn't reply, just kept pattering away on her computer.

"Is it because of the name 'Taro?'" I continued.

Her pattering slowed.

"I'm sorry but I cannot help you." She pressed a key on her keyboard and documents started printing out. "You will need a court order."

"I don't have enough time. Please," I pleaded. Plus, a court order would be on the record. His Dishonor would know.

"It is simply out of my hands." She gathered the papers from the printer in her arms and slid them across the desk toward us. _"Birth Certificate"_ was printed across the top in Old English Text. "I suggest you leave now."

Nodding, I took the papers and, hiding the content against my side, strolled out of the courthouse with Len in tow. "I don't understand," he said on the marble steps outside.

"We aren't the only ones Kaito Taro has ever stepped on," I said simply, at last taking a look at the records she gave to me. The birth certificate was normal enough, next was information about some law suit against a hospital, and then finally…

"You're kidding me," I mumbled.

"What? What is it?" Len asked.

"Get in the car. We're going back to Rin's. Here, take a look for yourself."

After a tense ride back, we climbed up the stairs and burst into the apartment like we were performing a police raid. I quickly went to the coffee table in the cluttered living room, flipped Miku's representative card down, grabbed my recorder, and said, "Miku Taro, deceased. Cleared of all suspicion."


	18. Hunting Season

Two young women, dead. One brutally murdered, the other killed by her naturally weak body. Both connected to each other and, in one way or another, to Kaito Taro. A notebook, a list, a number 7, and a game of chess. With a plethora of questions still swirling around my mind, I stepped into the first day of the defense's rebuttal against the prosecutions, lacking a sense of direction. It was as if the murderer threw all my ideas in a box and threw that box down the stairs.

The culprit was most likely in this courtroom right at this moment. I looked behind my back quickly, unsure of what I was looking for.

"Mayu."

"What?" I mumbled.

From the row behind me, Yuka messed with my hair. "Better."

"Was it bad?"

"It was about a four. Now it's a solid seven."

"What's Meiko's?"

"You want the truth?"

"Yeah."

"The scale doesn't go that high."

Stealing a glance toward the Bear, I couldn't disagree. "She still thinks I paid Kaito off," I said.

"What a skag," Rin chimed in from beside Yuka. "It doesn't matter what she thinks."

"It does, in a way," I replied. "She'll come at us at full force now. I have a feeling she plays dirty well."

Len was silent, sitting to the left of me with his hands in his lap. My explanation of my nighttime vigil at Kaito's mansion came out so hastily, I didn't even know if he was upset about it, or if he thought that playing some chess was just as unethical as paying him off. He had made no move to express his opinion in the past few days; we really had avoided the topic entirely. Now was no different, except for the mutual fire of dislike that swelled within us both as His Dishonor sashayed to his position at the bench. He looked over his kingdom like he always did: with great satisfaction, and the press, ever-present, quieted down immediately.

"The prosecution has rested," he announced, "and now it is the defense's turn to make their case. Are you ready to begin, Ms. Hidari?"

"Of course, Your Honor," I replied firmly. "The defense calls Daina Vulpine to the stand."

Daina Vulpine hated people who sucked at their jobs, especially people in her own profession who sucked at their jobs. Her mantra was "You're a fool. Get out of my presence." She said it often. Daina was a forensic scientist, and we had worked together on the Megurine case with an efficiency born out of mutual respect. When I told Daina over the phone about the testimony of Cul Noza—oh man—I thought I would be defending another acquaintance for murder in the near future. So, here she strutted, Daina Vulpine in her high-high heels and blood red dress, reddish caramel hair bouncing about in its pony tail, sharpened teeth smiling toward the discreet cameras.

"Can you tell us your name and occupation?" I asked as soon as she swore to tell the truth.

"Daina Vulpine, forensic scientist," she said brightly.

"What are your qualifications, if it is pertinent to ask?"

"I graduated at the top of my class at the highest ranking forensic science school in the country. I have been practicing independently for ten years and have given testimony at over one hundred trials. I have also published multiple articles in the most highly esteemed scientific journals in the world on the subject of autopsying victims of murder."

"Wow. That's impressive," I said like I had never heard this before.

"Thank you, Ms. Hidari."

"Have you gone over the entire autopsy report of Miki Star and the testimony given for the prosecution by Cul Noza?" I asked.

"Yes. Every last word and picture."

"What is your opinion of the condition of the body and the theories brought forward by Ms. Noza?"

"Ms. Noza," Daina enunciated gingerly. "Her opinions are highly questionable. In fact, they are outrageous, especially for someone as inexperienced as her in autopsying bodies found in water—Yes, I read her file, Ms. Ursa. You don't have to object." Meiko sat back down and clenched her jaw rather painfully. "First of all, to determine the exact knife used to cause the stab wounds would be virtually impossible once the body has been submerged that long. As you can see in these pictures, the wounds stretch outwards and the shape distorts. Not to mention the fact that Len Kagamine's supposed murder weapon is the most popularly distributed knife in the entire country. Next, we move onto the time of death. Ms. Noza's hypothesis that the murder took place between 7 to 9 P.M. is baseless. Upon seeing the corpse's chemical composition, my opinion is that the T.O.D. is later, around 10 or 11 P.M. The implications on this case of that time shift is to me unknown. I'm not a detective, after all. I don't pretend to be, unlike some people of my profession." She took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair.

"God, I forgot how much I loved Daina," Yuka whispered behind me.

"She is a wonder to behold," I agreed, standing up again to address the witness. "Thank you. That will be all."

"Ms. Ursa, any questions for the lovely witness?" Kaito asked bemusedly.

A moment. "No, Your Honor," she said.

"Very good. Ms. Vulpine, you may leave now."

I kept the victorious smile off my face, but I'm sure Meiko felt the loss deeply. I didn't need Kaito Taro's help to strike her speechless. I didn't to bribe to free an innocent man. I didn't because—The word "justice" flashed through my mind, but I wasn't about to let myself become arrogant with hope. "The defense calls Dex Pawson to the stand," I said, more disheartened than I wanted to be.

Dex Pawson was a criminal profiler and also Daina's husband. They kept their surnames for professional reasons, and it made calling them both up to the stand less suspicious. Of course, he was good at his job just as his wife was, and I trusted their opinions more than any other in their respective fields. So, as the white-haired gentleman strutted (and man—did he strut) to his position in the courtroom, I made sure to show no indication to the jury that these two animalistic witnesses were in fact linked to each other.

"Please state your name and occupation," I said.

"Dexter Pawson," he replied clearly, displaying his smirk to the courtroom with great satisfaction. Like husband, like wife. "I am an independent criminal profiler and certified psychologist."

"Just to clarify—you are trained to decipher what kind of person committed a certain crime based on the physical evidence, correct?"

"That's exactly right."

"Have you reviewed the case of Miki Star thoroughly, in your opinion?"

"I have."

"And what kind of person committed this crime?"

"Objection, speculation—"

"In your opinion," I added on at the end, glancing hostilely toward Meiko. A bear, a rabbit, a wolf, and a fox walk into a bar…

"Several questions came to mind when I looked over the case," Dex began, motioning toward the projector which now blared to life. A diagram of Miki's wounds sputtered onto the screen. "The first is why the killer chose to inflict wounds in completely different areas of the body. The autopsy shows she died of blood loss, due to the wound in her neck. This is also the first inflicted wound. Why would the killer need to stab these other seemingly random places? There are no signs of struggle, so he or she most likely drugged the victim, or it was a surprise attack. All these wounds—the neck, side, shoulder, hand, and cheek—are all the same kinds of slashes, shallow compared to the two wounds on her stomach."

"What reason would the killer have to do this?" I asked.

"Since there is no practical reason, I could only assume that it was for psychological stimulation. The killer meant for these wounds to be symbolic to them somehow. As this is not a serial killer's doing, obviously, it would mean the killer knew the victim. That killing her meant something to them. Or maybe, it was to send a message to someone else. A strange coincidence about the wounds that I noticed was that there are seven wounds, and the inconsistently deep wounds on the stomach seem to make the number _7._ The body was also discovered within the jurisdiction of Ava's seventh precinct, and here we are in Courtroom No. 7."

"Objection," Meiko interjected. "What does this have to do with who killed Miki Star? Unless Ms. Hidari's expert witness is claiming the killer foresaw which courtroom this case would be assigned to."

"Be patient, Ms. Ursa," Kaito tsked. "I'm sure all will be revealed eventually." A vein popped out of her head, and she once again was forced to take a seat.

"What else did the killer do which was unnecessary?" I went on.

"Stripping Ms. Star of her clothes," Dex answered. "There is no sign of rape, so why would the killer waste time on something like this? Either they were obsessively reverent and wanted to merely look at her or once again, it was symbolic. I doubt the former, as if they were obsessed over her, the killer would not have taken unnecessary steps to mutilate the body. Once again, it may be symbolic. Nakedness has always been associated with purity, or maybe the killer wanted everyone to see the wounds easily."

"What does this have to do with Len Kagamine?" I asked.

"It doesn't, really, at all, and that's the point. The type of death would not be committed by a stalker, as the prosecution has claimed, or anyone with romantic affiliation. It would seem the killer's true target was someone still living, someone who would see the body and know the meaning of the wounds. This murder was committed by someone with pure apathy, someone who is able to methodically work and see murder has an art rather than a necessity. Len Kagamine has had no history of mental illness or any signs of being a psychopath. He is anti-social but not a sociopath. His stories depict violence, but if you read carefully, it never condones violence. In fact, it condemns it. Len Kagamine, in my opinion, is not the killer."

"Thank you, Mr. Pawson. That is all I had to ask you."

"Any rebuttal this time, Ms. Ursa?" His Dishonor jabbed.

Meiko remained silent.

"Ms. Ursa?"

"Mr. Pawson, is your wife not Ms. Vulpine?"

"Objection!" I shouted. "What is this line of questioning? His personal life has nothing to do with the case."

"I am establishing a pattern in Ms. Hidari's defense, a pattern of conflicting interests."

"These are personal attacks," I refuted. "If you have a problem about how I defend my clients, I suggest you take it to open court."

"Answer the question, Mr. Pawson," Meiko asserted.

"That is enough, Ms. Ursa," Kaito said. "I think we have had a long day. Why don't we reconvene two days from now, when we all have cooler heads, yes?"

"Thank you, Your Honor," I said.

Meiko said nothing.

"Court is dismissed." Down came his gavel, and the tension left my head at last.

"It was a good day," Yuka said as I gathered my papers.

"Better than most," I replied, eyes following the people as the shuffled out. Meiko, Lily, Mothy… Mothy looked happier than usual today.

"You did great," Len said.

"Hardly. It was all thanks to Daina and Dex." I flushed slightly and finished packing my things.

"Maybe we should all get a drink to celebrate!" Rin suggested. "Well, Mayu can have a sparkling water or something."

"Sorry, a lot of work to do," I declined.

"M-Me, too," Len added.

"What? You people, I swear." Rin pouted. "Alright, Yuka. You and me. Let's do this."

"I have work as well." Yuka shot her down like a duck during hunting season.

As we followed a fuming Rin out of the building, I couldn't help but feel watched by something. Cold, cold eyes, a cold hand pressing against my back, pushing me ever closer, ever closer to the precarious truth.


	19. Bang!

_"The military insurrection is moving southward, in the direction of the border and Ava. The forces are in all likelihood aiming even farther south, to the nation's capital. It is unclear if Gumi Megpoid is involved, as she has gone missing sometime in the past week—"_

My phone rang.

Sighing, I turned off my car radio and answered. The sky frowned grayly upon the city today. A storm must have been heading our direction. "Yes, Rin?" I asked right away.

"Mayu! What a lovely day today. I was wondering if you gave my proposal any more thought," Rin sang cheerfully.

"I did, actually. I thought the word 'no' several times." I stopped at a red light. Almost there.

"Come on, Mayu. I _know_ you need a character witness, and I will do such a nice job making Len look like the stuffed animal that he is!"

"You've been watching too much crime TV. Having close family testify to the accused's character does nothing. Of course his family would show him in the most flattering light."

"Okay. What if I insult him a little bit _then_ make him look like a stuffed animal, like a character development thing. Like—'I hate him, but he's actually a good guy. A solid soul.'"

"A solid soul," I repeated.

"Yes."

"Goodbye, Rin."

"Mayu—Mayu, wait—!"

I threw the phone back down onto the passenger's seat just as I was pulling into the parking garage of an apartment building. The building itself was laid out much like Len's, the apartments lined up all in a row with an outdoor hallway connecting them. The elevator was out of order, and I had to trudge up six flights to reach my destination. After gracefully waiting a moment to catch my breath, I journeyed to the end of the row of doors and knocked weakly.

After a moment, the door opened a crack. I could hardly see the person inside. "Ms. Mosh! I was wondering if—"

She slammed the door shut.

Cursing under my breath, I looked around a moment, gave it a hard thought, and knocked again. This time the door opened all the way, revealing a very disgruntled Lily in nurse slacks and a blond ponytail. "Ms. Mosh, I am here to ask you about—"

"Please leave, or I'm calling Meiko," Lily said.

"It's about Miki's journal," I continued. "I've taken the educated guess that you are the one who tore out the pages and defaced the list. If you would please just let me in…"

Lily stared daggers down (damn my height!) at me and then checked her watch. "Get in," she commanded, standing to the side.

What used to be Miki and Lily's apartment was a quaint place about the size of Rin's. All the doors within the living space were closed, so the kitchen and living room were the only snapshots into their world I was given. A window which led to the hall I was just dying in let in streams of spring sunlight and somehow made the room sadder, emptier. I sat down on the couch Lily nodded to and pulled out my recorder. "Do you mind?"

"Yes," she said. I set it down on the coffee table in case she changed her mind. Still standing, she went on, "You think I did it."

"You think Len did it," I replied.

"I didn't."

"Didn't do it or didn't think Len did it?"

"The first one."

"Did you tear out the pages?"

"No. I never touched her notebook."

"Then, why did you let me in?"

"I want to know why you've touched her notebook." She was starting to get annoyed.

"Meiko didn't tell you? I got a court order. Everything was legal."

"Legal, right."

"Her notebook talks about various people, specifically a girl Miki wasn't able to save. Do you know about this girl?" Something in my peripheral. I stole a glance toward the window. Mothy was walking away from the door. Before I knew it, I was standing. "Sorry, can I look out that window?" I didn't wait for a reply, rushing over and pressing up against the glass. Did Mothy see me? What did she want to see Lily about?

Behind me, my own voice. "Miku Taro, deceased. Cleared of all—"

Lily had my recorder. I sprinted back over and ripped it out of her hands, turning it off as soon as I could. She looked at me calmly. "Miku's last name was Taro?"

"You know Miku," I said, forcing myself not get pissed at this lady.

"Not really. Not personally." Lily sank into an armchair. "Miki knew her and told me about her."

"Miku is the girl she couldn't save?"

She nodded. "Miki and Miku, fitting friends. She was eighteen, and Miku was sixteen. There was a garden somewhere, technically some rich dude's property, and she would always go there to study. She met Miku there. She was sickly, always in a wheel chair, but they would talk all day long every day for an entire summer. One day… she died, I guess."

"Miku Taro is the daughter of Kaito Taro, the presiding judge for this case. This isn't a coincidence, Lily. Maybe Miki died because of _this,_ not Len, not sweet Len."

"Maybe."

"Was Miki really afraid of Len?"

"I don't know. I thought so. She was afraid of everything, really. She would go out all the time without telling me where she was going." Lily's emotions were spilling, spilling all over the wooden floors. "She would always carry around that journal, but one day she came back from somewhere really upset. She threw the journal to the wall, saying it was ruined."

"When was that, Lily? Remember."

"I don't know. Wait—no—I do. It was three days before she vanished. Yes, three." Tears slid down her cheeks.

"It's alright, Lily. You've said enough," I said.

"I didn't do it. You've got to believe me."

"I know you didn't do it. I never thought you did."

I closed the door to Lily's apartment softly behind me. My vision seemed sharper. I wasn't crazy. No, I wasn't. Well, maybe I was, but for a different reason entirely.

Halfway down the stairs, my phone buzzed. Rin. What a surprise. "Yes?" I asked with mock pleasantry.

"I've been reading some of your lawyer books—"

"Are you in my office right now?"

"Maybe. Len's here, too. Say 'hi,' Len!"

There was a muffled. "I'm not here."

God, my _calves._ My poor defenseless calves. Only two more flights, come on, girls. "Please don't touch my things. Is Yuka there with you?"

"You sound in pain. Are you dying?"

"That's a—" Deep breath. "—good assumption." The final steps, here we go. _Three, two, one, boom._ Down! Squinting at the inexorable sun above me, I pivoted around back toward the parking garage. Better get back to the office quickly and make sure they're not breaking anything. There was a lot to tell Len, too.

I halted so quickly I almost toppled over.

"You can't die on us, Mayu! You still haven't told me how to get into your secret wine cellar-dungeon yet." Rin's voice was far away.

"Hey, yeah, I got to go," I said vaguely, hanging up before she could reply. For you see, a woman was standing in the center of the sidewalk and smiling at me like we were old friends. Her face, her short green hair, they felt strange when up-close. Her military uniform was sharp, ironed. Her eyes were familiar. It was almost like a dream. After all, I had heard her name on the radio just this morning.

"You…" I managed to say.

Gumi's smile widened, and she slowly raised her arm in the air until it was level with her shoulders. I instinctively took a step back. Her hand formed a pretend gun, and she sharply raised the pretend nozzle in the air and exclaimed, "Bang!"

"E-Excuse me?"

"I may not always kill," she said, "but I never miss." And she turned around and walked away, side-stepping into an alley as soon as she had the chance. Ah, that's why they seemed familiar. Gumi's eyes were the same as Kaito's. So… vast.

Coming to my senses, I sprinted to the alley she disappeared into, but sure enough, she was gone. Damn. Damn! How could someone like her be connected to Miki? I thought I had some answers after leaving Lily's, but in the end, I only had more questions.

And the mysteries didn't stop, so it would seem.

I was fumbling with the keys to my car when a shadow emerged from the wall. It's not that I didn't notice it; it was that I didn't exactly care at the present moment. However, the shadow came closer and put its hand on my back. Jumping, I reeled around and removed its touch from me. Mothy was there, looking down (there it was again, these traitorous genes of mine) at me with her arctic eyes.

"Ms. Star!" I squeaked. "What a coincidence, running into you here."

"Why were you at Lily's apartment, Ms. Hidari?" she asked prosaically.

"I am not at liberty to say. If you would excuse me." I tried to reach my car as swiftly as possible, but Mothy blocked my direct path.

"Don't you have questions for me? You've never approached me, not once. Isn't that strange?"

"Um." I tried to come up with something. Something safe. "Yes, well, was Miki adopted?"

"Yes," Mothy replied. Silence ensued.

"Ah, um, w-what did you want to see Lily for?" I continued. Why was I so thrown off my game? Was it Gumi? No, it was something deeper than that for sure.

"She requested some pictures of my daughter, and I was going to deliver them to her."

"That's nice. Sorry for disturbing your plan. I believe she's free now, though, so you can give them to her right away."

"You don't have any more questions?" Mothy asked.

"I do, of course. However… I am going to save them for a more fitting environment." A courtroom.

"A courtroom," she mimicked my thoughts. "You aren't going to call me up as a witness."

"I'm not, but Meiko is. You'll want her to," I replied.

"Really?"

"Really."

"The prosecution rested their case."

"There are ways. See you in court, Ms. Star." I kept my head down and walked past her, locking myself in my fortress of a car until I couldn't see her anymore. My phone was buzzing. My head was splitting. Picking it up, I shouted, "Fine, you're a witness! Stop calling!" and hung up. What was I thinking? I fervently condemned myself the whole way back to the office, only to discover the twins had gone, along with several of my law books from the shelf.


	20. Witnesses for the Defense

In the span of one moment I went from nowhere to my moonlit bedroom, familiar and yet utterly foreign. For whatever reason, I looked to my left, expecting someone to be there, but only a crumpled over pillow greeted me. I hadn't woken up from a nightmare—I never could remember my dreams, after all—but from a thought. An idea. Hopping out of bed, I fervently resurrected my laptop and researched. Half an hour later, I was back under the blankets, smiling to myself. I knew who killed Miki Star.

"And what are you going to do?" I asked.

"Tell the truth," Rin answered.

"And what are you _not_ going to do?"

"Lie."

"And what are you going to do again?"

"Tell the truth!"

This courtroom was becoming a second home to me by now. A really stressful, deadly home mostly filled with people I abhorred. My only comforts were the people sitting behind me and Len to my left. Well, comforting most of the time. Right now, Rin was giving me a migraine. I had debriefed her on her witness testimony approximately ten million times, but I still had this feeling in my gut that she was going to screw up. Maybe I was being hard on her, but she had lied to me about Len being at her apartment the night of the murder. Also, in eighth grade, she stole a classmate's dog and kept it in the treehouse for two weeks without anyone's knowledge. She was not a trustworthy person. God, I loved her, but she was not a trustworthy person.

Rin sank back into her seat. "Mayu doesn't trust me," she said.

I pursed my lips, choosing to not reply to that. "After you testify, I'm going to request an adjournment. I have some ideas for witnesses, but they're not confirmed yet. Kaito likes to draw things out anyway. I'm sure he'll adjourn."

"Kaito?" Rin asked.

"Taro. His Dishonor. Sorry."

"You're going to do great, Rin," Len interjected, eager to push the conversation away from His Dishonor, I'm sure.

"Thank you, dearest brother. At least someone believes in me!"

Footsteps. The room went silent. Behold, a horrible human being in his natural habitat. Kaito Taro climbed on his perch and began giving his usual morning announcements regarding expediency and other things that don't make any sense, but I didn't hear a word. Instead, I spent my time gauging his face. What did he know about this case? He's obviously too involved to be unbiased, though a mistrial would prove impossible with his astounding influence on the system. That meant I had to prove Len innocent while never mentioning Kaito or even Miku's true identity. To put it simply, it was like trying to convince a chess opponent that a pawn was a queen.

"Your next witness, Ms. Hidari," Kaito was saying.

Snapping out of it, I wobbled to my feet and announced, "The defense calls Rin Kagamine to the stand."

His Dishonor's eyes lit up at the name and followed my childhood friend as she shuffled out of her seat and made her way to the stand. Rin was wearing her very best dress, nothing like the gaudy stuff she usually wore. As much as I resisted Rin's witness testimony, there actually was something invaluable she would be giving the case. This valuable commodity was one of the epiphanies I had in the middle of last night, though most of that time at my laptop was a blur. Here goes nothing, Rin. Let's save your brother together.

"Please state your name and relationship with the accused."

Rin smiled brightly. I shook my head, and she retracted to a reserved frown. "Rin Kagamine. I'm Len's twin sister."

"How is your relationship with your brother?" I asked.

"We're twins, so we've basically been together all our lives. Even when he moved away, we'd talk nearly every day."

"He moved away. When did he come back?"

"About two months ago. He was renting an apartment, but a lot of the time he would stay in my extra bedroom."

"Did you hear from Len at all on the day of Miki's murder?"

"Yes. He called in the morning, asking if he could come over that night to hang out. He arrived at around 9 and stayed the night."

"9 P.M.?" I confirmed.

"Yep-yes. Yes."

"Can you read back what Daina Vulpine said the other day regarding time of death?" I asked the clerk.

She clicked around for a moment. "'Upon seeing the corpse's chemical composition, my opinion is that the T.O.D. is later, around 10 or 11 P.M.,'" she recited.

"Was Len at your home from 10 to 11 P.M.?" I continued.

"Yes."

"Thank you, Ms. Kagamine. All I have left to ask you is how you would describe your brother's character."

As Rin began her rehearsed monologue, I stole glances Ms. Ursa's direction. The Bear seemed awfully calm, much unlike her demeanor in sessions past. Best case scenario: She had given up. Worst case scenario: She had something up her sleeve. Meiko caught me looking, but her expression remained unchanged. Rin had stopped speaking, I realized.

"Thank you again. I have no more questions."

"Ms. Ursa, it's your witness," Kaito said.

Meiko nodded, taking my place pacing in the front of the room. Her first question: "Did Len ever talk to you about Miki?"

"A little bit," Rin answered. She seemed less confident now that the inquisitions were unrehearsed.

"What did he say about her?"

"Just that she was nice. Nicer than his previous editor, anyway. A hard worker. Enjoys his stories."

"Did he ever mention how pretty she was?"

Rin laughed shortly, instantly regretted it, and went back to looking solemn. "No."

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. He just didn't comment on women's looks all that much." That was true. I had never heard him talk like that ever.

Now, her fourth question came out of nowhere. It was like if a plane suddenly crashed into this building or if Kaito started singing opera for no reason right then and there. Meiko asked, "Did you know Mayu Hidari before your brother hired her for an attorney?"

I couldn't seem to say "objection" fast enough. "Objection! Objection, what is this personal attack?"

"It's not personal if it's true," Meiko sang. "Just answer the question. Did you know—e"

"This has nothing to do with the case," I interjected. "Absolutely nothing."

"Then why are you objecting?"

"Because I know exactly what you're doing, and it has nothing to do with whether Len Kagamine killed Miki Star or not."

"Ladies, ladies." Kaito threw his hands in the air. "Approach the bench." Two seething women stomped up to his beloved bench with every bit of mind to strangle each other and him. "This is very unconventional, Ms. Ursa."

"It's very illegal," I said.

"You cannot side with the child every single time," Meiko said. "This is saying something about her defense, a point I was trying to make with Dexter Pawson."

"You know as well as I do that my relationship with the defendant can only be disclosed with the consent of the two parties involved. And just so you know, Ms. Ursa, being childhood friends with someone does not change the fact that you have no evidence to support your burning bridge of a case."

"Now who's getting personal?"

"Okay, you two," Kaito said, a smile inching the edge of his mouth. "I'm going to allow the testimony, as long as it isn't brought up again in any future witnesses."

"Your Honor!"

"Thank you, Your Honor. You won't regret it."

Two women retreated to their proper positions. Len looked up at me, not quite sure what was going on. I shook my head, and that at least told him it wasn't good.

"Answer the question, Ms. Kagamine," Kaito said.

"Uh. Um," Rin looked nervously my direction. I motioned her to go on. "Mayu and I have been friends for a long time."

"How long?" Meiko asked.

"As long as I can remember. Since preschool, I think."

"Was she friends with your brother as well?"

"Yeah."

"Good friends?"

"Yeah…"

"Lovers?"

"No."

"You're sure?"

"I think I'd be the first to hear if something like that happened."

Beside me, Len whispered, "Why is she asking these questions?"

"She wants the jury to think I would do anything to save your case. Forge evidence, coerce witnesses, anything. She wants them to think everything I've presented is biased or bribed," I replied quietly.

"Is it not true that Mayu Hidari paid out of her own bank account the majority of your brother's bail?" Meiko went on.

"What? No," Rin said. I kept my head down.

"Really?" Meiko walked up and set down a piece of paper. "This court report says otherwise."

Rin took a moment to read it. "Um, oh." She paused. "I guess she did."

"Ms. Kagamine, do you think Ms. Hidari would do anything for your brother?"

"No," she replied.

"Are you sure?"

"No—I mean yes. Yes."

"That's all the questions I have." Meiko sat down.

"Any redirect?" Kaito asked.

"No, Your Honor." I tapped my fingers against the wooden table a few times. Defeat. Embarrassment. I clenched my hands into fists. Anger. Indignation. "May I call my next witness?"

"Mayu," Yuka whispered from behind me. "I thought you said Rin was the only witness for today."

"Of course, Ms. Hidari," Kaito said.

"The defense recalls Yuki Kaai to the stand," I continued without hesitation.

"Objection, Your Honor," Meiko said. "This witness was not on the provided list, and Yuki Kaai is a little girl who does not need the pressure of giving another witness testimony."

"Ms. Kaai holds key information, though it may seem trivial today. Also, if this trial does not come to an end with all questions answered, that would haunt a young witness more than anything. My questions will be brief, Your Honor. In fact, I only have three."

"Yuki Kaai is not even present," Meiko retorted. "Do you intend to have us wait around all day for her to show up?"

"I'm here!" a small voice echoed across the grand hall.

Yuki Kaai, pigtails flopping, broke out into the aisle and raised her hand high.

"Well, little lady," Kaito said with an alarmingly warm smile. A father's smile. "What do you say? Do you want to testify?"

She sucked in a huge breath and yelled, "Yes, sir!"

"I guess it's decided, then." His Dishonor beckoned her forward, and Yuki skipped to the stand, to the whispered dismay of her mother. "May I ask why?"

Yuki climbed onto the chair and pumped it all the way up to its highest point. "That lady's mean now!" And she pointed to Meiko.

"You're not wrong," Kaito replied.

"Your Honor," Meiko said, testy.

"Alright, Ms. Hidari. You're three questions, please."

"Okay." I stood up, my adrenaline rush slowly trickling away. Here goes nothing. "Yuki, you said you saw a woman by the creek two days before the murder. This isn't a question." I paused. "You said she had green hair. You also told me when we first met that you were color blind. Also not questions. Now, I need you to tell me, Yuki. What kind of color blindness do you have?"

"I, uh, M-Mom said it was, um, _Deu—Deutera…_ "

"Deuteranopes," I finished.

"Objection, she answered the question for her," Meiko said.

"Not now, Ms. Ursa. I'm trying to listen to the testimony," Kaito replied.

"Deuteranopes!" Yuki confirmed.

"In case the court does not know, Deuternopes is a form of color blindness that mixes up pale pinks and grays, blues and purples, and bright greens and yellows. Bright greens and yellows," I repeated. "Yuki, what color is this?" I held up a swatch of yellow for the court and then for her.

"Green!" she answered with confidence.

"Yuki, you said you were thinking about the woman a lot last time you testified. Is there anyone in this room who looks like the woman you saw? Anybody?"

Yuki pursed her lips and looked around. She scanned the defense's side. Nothing. Next the prosecution, her eyes dodged from person to person until— "Yes! Right there!" Her tiny hand pointed forward, and every set of eyes in the courtroom followed it to its target.

Mothy Star sat up straighter, feeling the gazes of hundreds of people under her skin. A smile betrayed her, a flash, but soon it was replaced by lament. A poor mother accused in such a way by a child! How could this happen? What cruelty! But though it was gone, that smile etched its way into my mind, a smile of entertainment, a smile of deception.

"Those are my three questions," I said. "I am done."

"Any cross-examination, Ms. Ursa?" Kaito asked, his own smile playing across his lips.

"No, Your Honor," Meiko replied, head down.

"Thank you, Ms. Kaai. You may go back to your seat now," His Dishonor said. "Well, that's quite enough excitement for one day, isn't it? Court will reconvene in three days. I feel like our story is coming to an end soon." His gavel resounded throughout the room, and I was left with a defeat and a victory and the unreadable expressions of my three dearest friends.


	21. Three Blindfolds

It was there when I staggered down the staircase two days before the final day of trial. The envelope was a stark white against the dark wooden flooring, and I knew who it was from before I could even read the elegant handwriting. Kaito had sent an invitation to another game of chess at his abode.

I stared out the window for a long time, debating what I should do. I hadn't talk to Len or the others since Meiko revealed I had paid his bail without telling anyone and Mothy was more or less accused of killing her only daughter. The feeling of loneliness mingled itself with the feeling of my back to the precipice, to the feeling of the almost-fall, and I had to sit down for a moment. It was all coming to an end, and I felt like I hadn't accomplished anything.

On my way to the office, the radio informed me that Gumi's army was going to pass Ava in about six days, but the mayor and political officials were confident they would not breach city lines, that they would pass us for a more advantageous city to begin a political uprising. That is, if they weren't defeated by the loyalists before then. Crazy, crazy, and so far away from me. The implications of Gumi Megpoid's name on Miki's list had yet to fit together for me. I decided as I turned into the parking garage that the chess match with Kaito could provide that important information. I had to go. My stomach churned. I had to go.

Ignition off. Before I could open the door to get out of my car, a shadow flitted across the right windows. The passenger's side door opened and a woman slipped inside without a word. I froze, not quite processing that it was Meiko and she was here and she was in my car less than a foot away from me.

"Uh," I said unintelligibly.

"We need to talk," she said, eyes fixed on the windshield.

I uncomfortably placed my hands on the steering wheel just so I could have somewhere to put them. "About what?"

"The theater," she replied sarcastically.

"Just tell me what you want."

"I want you to fess up. Admit that you've manipulated the system."

"Even if I did, why does it matter if I admit it or not?"

"That is what justice is, Ms. Hidari."

"Ah, so now you're the ultimate arbiter of justice, huh? The master of right and wrong, of the truth and deception," I said.

"You mock me for wanting justice? You're a lawyer! You're supposed to be seeking justice like me."

"I'm mocking you because you don't know anything about me or Len. You convince yourself of things with no evidence to support them and then go around reciting platitudes about justice to everyone you disapprove of. I didn't pay Kaito any money, and he didn't lay a finger on that woman."

"Explain these then." She dropped a stack of photos in my lap. They were still frames of me outside the Taro Mansion, examining the front entrance and eventually being let inside.

"Where'd you get these?" I questioned.

"They were left on my doorstep. There wasn't any note or anything to go with them."

I examined them carefully, searching for an explanation of who could have taken these. One of Kaito's servants? No, he wouldn't want these made public. "Kaito Taro sent me an invitation for a game of chess," I admitted. "Don't ask me why. We played a game. He won quite easily and kept rambling about things that didn't make any sense. That's all that happened."

"Conversing with the judge during a trial—!"

"Unethical, illegal, I know!" I shot. "But if I refused his invitation, he would have ensured that Len get a guilty verdict. If this were any other case, I wouldn't have done it, but this was Len. Maybe you were right about my bias during the trial, but you left off the fact that he's innocent as well."

"What if he isn't?" Meiko asked, her voice low and seething.

I laughed shortly. "That would be the worst plot twist ever." Before she could reply, I said, "Get out of my car now."

After a moment, she ducked out, leaving the photographs with me. Whether she was satisfied with my answers or if she merely had copies, I would never know. After a moment, I grabbed a box of matches from my glovebox, pulled myself into the hot spring air, and found a dark corner of the parking garage to crouch down in. Laying the pictures on top of each other on the concrete, I struck a match and watched as the fire consumed the dark images. No one ever had to know about that night, or the night that laid ahead of me.

The office air conditioner was on full-blast, and its humming filled the room like a swarm of flies. Yuka was reading a book on the couch, face obscured by the cover. _"Fire Emergencies,"_ it read. The feeling of something needing to be said and yet the fear of what that may be caused me to remain in the threshold of the front door, expecting and dreading her to make the first move.

"Megpoid's forces are cutting it close to the city," Yuka observed.

I closed the door behind me. Drifting off to my desk and sitting down, I replied just as casually, "Crazy stuff." The air conditioner made a horrible noise, and I wondered if that was the sound an electric chair made when you pulled the lever. "You know," I went on cautiously, "I keep thinking about those forces. What if they did come and sack the city? What if Len gets off free and the next day we're all dead. What would be the point of everything?"

She replied with another question. "Have you been taking your medication?" I gave a sharp sigh, giving up on reconciliation at this juncture in time, but then she said after a moment, "Justice."

"Excuse me?"

"Justice would be the point."

"Justice," I repeated. There was that word again. Lawyers seemed to be fascinated with it—I know I used to be—and yet were utterly incapable of achieving it. "That's funny."

"I'm serious." Yuka laid her book across her stomach. "It wouldn't be for nothing, would it? Does it feel nothing right now?"

"No."

"Then whatever happens afterward won't change that. Anyway, stop talking about dying. It's depressing."

I pondered her words against my more stubborn judgement. "What _is_ justice, then?"

"I would say… it's the universe balancing itself out. It's not really 'getting what you deserve,' either. You can't have justice without…" she trailed off.

"What?"

"You know…"

"What is it?"

She shifted around uncomfortably. "Love."

If Yuka and I were ten years old, I would have laughed in her face. If Yuka and I were twenty years old, I would have laughed in her face. In fact, if she had told me that two months previous, I would have laughed until I would get appendicitis. But, right here, right now, I just listened to the sound of the air conditioner and said, "I really got to talk to Len."

"Yeah."

"I've waited too long—"

"No, it's never too late. He'll want an explanation for the bail thing, though."

"Who cares about money, anyway? What would I have used it for?"

"I don't know. Retirement?"

"If I live that long."

"See? You're talking like that again. Want to get something to eat?"

"I can't," I said automatically. "I have an appointment with my psychiatrist." The lie slipped through easily, far too easily, but it was necessary.

"Alright. Tomorrow afternoon, then," Yuka said, and I never could tell what she was thinking.

As the days had been edging slowly toward summer, the sun took more and more time to snail across the sky. The Taro Mansion in the dusk was like an emerging ghost as I went down the drive, a block of gray and vinery against the forest backdrop. I bought a gun today. It was in my handbag. I was optimistic that it would remain untouched by evening's end.

Kaito answered the door himself once again, causing me to wonder if he really was the only person in this house. His daughter was dead, after all. For the first time, I almost looked upon him as human. "Good evening, Mayu. I'm so glad you could make it," he said with a ragged smile.

"How could I refuse a game of chess against a worthy adversary?" I replied, stepping into the dim foyer and taking a brief look around. The only difference in the room was a painting that mounted the wall next to a grandfather clock. It was hard to make out, but there was definitely some kind of grand fiery mass.

"You like it?" His Dishonor asked.

"I don't know," I said.

"It started with a burning castle, and it will end with a burning castle. Poetic, don't you think?"

I shook my head, already tired of the stupid riddles. "Shall we play?"

"Yes, of course. Follow me." As we snaked from room to room, I tried to take in as much information as possible. Pictures of who I assumed was Miku littered every wall and surface, but no image reached past the age of sixteen. If she were alive, how old would she be? 23?

The board was set up like last time, save for the inversion of white and black pieces. "How about you play as black today? Mix things up a little," he said.

"Fine." I sat down, back rigid. There were so many brimming questions to be asked, but this was what to say to this man was a game of chess in and of itself. I bided my time, watching him move his first pawn forward. Move after move, we maneuvered in silence. Really? No ominous expressions? No forewarnings of danger? When I finally couldn't take the quiet, I blurted out, "Your daughter is dead."

He moved his rook a bit forcefully. "Is anyone ever really dead?"

My automatic impulse was to apologize for my outburst, but that reaction made me come to my senses. "Y-You didn't strike me as a religious person."

"Religious in the traditional sense, I am not. However—forces—I know for a fact that forces are at work in our lives. Especially _our_ lives. I've seen them with my own two eyes."

"Forces, such as…?"

"You lawyers always ask so many questions. You need to just let destiny whisk you into the current, Mayu. It will take away a lot of stress."

"You were a lawyer once," I retorted.

"Once."

"Why did you become one, then?"

"We all believe in our own mode of justice, Mayu. Mine came from becoming a lawyer but not as acting as one. My final act of justice is about to begin." He moved his bishop hastily, and I worked up the courage to take it. He seemed surprised at my actions.

"What is justice for you, then?" I asked.

"Atonement," he replied immediately. "So many people have wronged me, Mayu. So many. No matter what I do, I always seem to be left heartbroken or dead. Atonement is all I live for now."

"Len never did anything to you."

"My grudges go back a long time. A very long time. But, don't worry. Len's verdict has nothing to do with my plan. In fact, the trial is a lovely way to distract myself and to bring the whole cast together for the final curtain call."

"Gumi, Rin, Len, Miku. They're all connected to you in one way or another. What does it have to do with the murder?"

"Everything, Mayu. Absolutely everything."

"Mothy did it," I said.

"I think we both know that."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"A parent killing their child is sympathetic to you, is it?"

He stood up and slammed his fist on the table, causing the chess pieces to teeter but not lose their place. "I would never hurt my daughter." And then he sat down and made his move like it didn't happen.

I had instinctively placed my hand on my bag, but when it seemed that the outburst had ended, I retracted back to the game and our conversation. "You're aware that Miku and Miki were friends."

"Yes."

"And that Miki thought she was murdered. That she was investigating."

"Yes."

"That she had received a list from someone with seven names on it, four of which I have already listed, the rest blotted out."

"No."

"I can only assume that your name was on there. Only two more names to go."

"I wouldn't stretch your intellect too hard thinking about the names," Kaito said, still a bit grumbly. "You're asking the wrong questions about that list. The names have nothing to do with the murder."

"What do you—"

"Is Mothy's name on that list?"

"I… don't think so."

"Why?"

"Because… Because she must have _written it!_ " Realization ignited within me, a moment of clarity in this foggy mess of a case. "And the notecard. The _7._ " My mind was racing. The case—Maybe I could do it—

"The game is not over yet," Kaito said, uncaring to my elation. He nodded to the board.

"I'm not so sure about that," I said, moving my knight in place. "Checkmate."

Kaito examined the pieces with astonishment. All of a sudden, a smile spread across his gaunt face. "You might just make it again, Mayu. But I wouldn't underestimate who you're up against."

I stood up, ready to excuse myself. "I never do," I said, and I walked out of the room and out of the house with hope still burning hot in my chest.


	22. Golden Light

My life didn't fall apart the day Luka was found guilty of first-degree murder. In truth, it had fallen apart a long time previous. Years. After I explain the events, I may appear to be some hopeless child too bent up on a boy, but it was more than that. It was difficult to explain, but there was always something more to Len.

I was 22 years old and my life was coming together nicely. Good grades, good friends, a future I would be incandescently happy to call as my own. And in every fantasy of the rest of my life, he was always there, you see. Graduate, start a firm with Yuka, ah Len how's it going? His presence was as natural as the sun setting in the west, as it did that evening, its rays reaching through the window panes and lightly touching my face.

The TV was on in the apartment Yuka and I rented together. I was curled up on the ragged couch, fiercely pushing through season 7 of my favorite crime show. The lights were off, but the orange sky which managed to stay unobscured by Ava's towering buildings provided enough light for usage of the remote. Mid-terms were coming up for my first year in law school. Pre-law had been agonizing, to be sure, but it would all be worth it in a few more years. The photo of the four of us when we were children stared at me from the kitchen counter. Just a little longer, just a little longer.

Yuka was out. Where, I did not know. She would disappear sometimes, but I trusted her enough not to pry. We all had something we didn't want to talk about. For Rin and Len, it was their parents, distant and apathetic. For Yuka, it was her nightly expeditions. For me, well, it was the medication stowed away in my nightstand to help me sleep and stay awake and function.

"You fool!" I shouted at the television as I watched the main character click handcuffs on the wrong suspect. "Come on, dude, the answer is obvious!"

The doorbell rang.

Still grumbling under my breath, I forced my dormant limbs to move and wormed my way toward the front door. One look through the peephole told me it was Len, but I couldn't figure out the expression on his face. Pulling my tank top down a bit self-consciously, I opened the door with a smile. It soon faded, however, when I saw the look in his eyes.

"I have something to tell you," Len said, head down.

"A-Alright," I replied as he stepped inside.

"Do you want to sit down?" He looked around the room slowly, like he was trying to memorize it.

"No, I'm good standing." I crossed my arms.

"I'm going away, Mayu," he said and then looked at me slowly, like he was trying to memorize me.

"Oh," I said. "For how long?"

"I mean—I'm moving away. Away from Ava." He went back to staring at the floor.

"What?" I laughed shortly, thinking it was some joke Rin had put him up to. He kept staring at the floor, and a slight tremble took hold of my heart. "You're not—Len, look at me." Len obeyed. No, he was serious. He was… "What's going on?" I asked, my voice high. I took a step back.

"I don't want to, but I _have_ to. I have to leave. Tonight," Len said. His voice sounded so crystal clear. It was difficult to pinpoint any conversation where he never stuttered or paused, but he was unwavering in this moment. It was that realization that threw a boulder into my stomach.

"Why? What? Why?" I demanded.

"It's complicated. My publishing company is moving down south anyway, but then there's also the letters…" he trailed off.

"Letters? What letters?"

"It doesn't matter. I talked it over with Rin, and she agrees it's the best option for all of us."

The boulder was followed swiftly by a fiery hot whip against my heart. Sudden anger took hold of me. "What? What does that _mean?_ All of us? Who falls into that category exactly? It certainly isn't the best for—Do you really care so little for us that you're willing to move away just like that? In the span of one night?"

"No!" His face broke out in sudden desperation. In that moment the sun winked out, and the only thing illuminating us were the lights of the city. "That's not it! You don't understand."

"I don't understand because you won't explain it to me!" I shot back.

"The letters, Mayu! They were violent and threatening—"

"Go to the police, then!"

"I can't take that risk! They weren't threatening me! They were threatening… I have to go now." Len suddenly turned away.

"What? No! I still don't understand!"

He looked at me a long moment, and that was the face that seared into my memory and reminded me of this night for the next five years. "Goodbye," he said. And then he took off running. Automatically, I ran after him, out the door and into the hall.

"Wait!" I shouted. There was a turn in the corridor, and my shoulder slammed hard against the corner, sending me staggering backwards. Len hesitated a moment but kept running. He ran until he was at the elevator, and by then I knew going after him was futile. However, I still regretted not getting up. I regretted it every day.

Tears filled my eyes as I laid on the carpet of the hallway. In a single moment, my life fell apart. For a long time, I laid on that carpet. Years. All the way up until I got that phone call from Yuka early in the morning, and I heard the words,

"Mayu, I have a case for you."

One day until the trial reconvened, and I still hadn't gotten the call.

I tried to sitting down on my couch, staring at my cellphone on the coffee table, but it didn't work. I tried leaning against the wall, catching glimpses of the mundane suburbs that surrounded me, but it didn't work. I tried reading, researching, writing and rewriting and rerewriting my closing statement to the jury, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't wait any longer. My entire defense relied on this one phone call. It was like a stone floating right in front of me at all times. I could look past it, but it was always there in my peripheral. God, I thought prosecutors were supposed to be punctual. God, what if I was wrong?

My phone rang.

Lightening. I picked it up and held it steadfastly to my ear. "Yes, hello?" I asked into the static.

"Ms. Hidari," Meiko began from the other end, "I know it is getting late, and this whole thing is last minute, but there is a document being sent your way. Kaito Taro has granted me another witness, despite that the prosecution already rested, as we are legally able to do. I hope you have no problem with this."

"Who is the witness?" I asked.

"Mothy Star."

I let out the breath I was holding, my knees feeling like they could buckle. After a moment, I replied, "No problem. See you in court."

"Be prepared for battle, Ms. Hidari." I could feel her smiling on the other end. How people change in such short spans of time.

"The same to you, Ms. Ursa. I'm glad we can end this civilly."

"There is nothing civil about government," she said and hung up right afterwards.

A grin stretched slowly across my face. I dropped the phone onto the nearest chair and proceeded to hop around the room a few times in victory. All of a sudden, I stopped, head turning swiftly toward the staircase, weary of someone coming down and seeing me being a complete idiot, but then I remembered there was no one else in this house. Of course. How silly of me. I sank into the couch, overcome by a disappointment not altogether foreign to me in recent weeks.

My phone was across the room, and I made my way over to it. Opening it up, my finger hovered over Len's number. Yes. No. Yes. Wait—no. I set it down. I picked it back up. Yes.

Someone was knocking at my door. Meiko's people worked fast.

What was I wearing again? I looked down. Business suit. Good, good. My feet were bare. My heels, where were they? They were knocking again. Dammit, whatever. I opened the door expecting one of Meiko's slaves with a paper to sign, but instead it was Len standing against the twilight backdrop of my front porch.

"Len," I stated dumbly.

"Mayu," he replied, equally dumb. "Um, I came to tell you… Well, many things, really."

"Come in." I shut out the warm spring draft, and he followed me to the living room. Papers were strewn all over the floor, a product of the day's intractable boredom. "Sorry," I said, picking as may up as possible and setting them on the coffee table.

"No, it's fine." Len looked around the room nervously. I felt like I had to do something with my hands, so I pretended to organize the papers into proper piles and positions and took a seat back on the couch. "I want to say thank you," he went on, taking up browsing the spines along my bookshelf.

"For what?" I asked.

"The bail money. I don't know what to say."

"You're not upset with me?"

"Upset? No, of course not. Grateful, embarrassed, shocked. Last court session really brought reality down on me," Len said.

"I have a feeling everything will be revealed tomorrow," I assured him. "It will all be over, then."

Night was coming on, and the room glowed gold from the lamplight. I couldn't see his face as he perused the countless novels and textbooks lining the walls. "I also wanted to say how sorry I am."

"Okay, now I know you're crazy. What can you possibly be sorry for?"

"For leaving," he replied.

"Oh." The papers were organized. I messed them up and began again. "Right. That. It's fine."

"It's not, though, is it? I was cruel, wasn't I? I never talked to you or Yuka about the decision until that night. I… regret many things." He pulled something out of his jacket and silently placed them on the table in front of me. Retreating back to the shelves, he added, "The letters. You can read them if you want."

I was about to feign ignorance. Claim I didn't remember what letters he was talking about, but of course I knew. I could recite every word which exchanged that night. Gingerly, I picked up the first envelope and slipped out the folded cardstock. The paper felt familiar in my hands. The handwriting felt even more so.

 _To the Second First,_

 _She found the body in the closet. It was your father, and it was pale and fetid and rotting. The attack was brutal, frantic. The slice itself, deep. The blood ran down her cheek and her yukata and pooled beneath her feet. She was in so much pain and still forced herself to remain calm and quell her attacker. You did not come to save her. You never do, after all. The man who raped her came instead and killed her attacker. She was ignored and prodded at the rest of her life for being related to a murderer, and for being barren._

"What is this?" I asked in disbelief. My cheek stung for some reason. My stomach churned. "This is… Parts of it sound like your book. The fourth one, about the seamstress and her sister, but this is horrible."

"I don't know why it scared me so much," Len said quietly. "The rest of the letters are more of the same. They all have to do with an unnamed girl getting hurt or ridiculed or abused. The last one told me to get far away from the city, and I knew that I had to. I could just _feel_ it, Mayu. Please, forgive me."

I set the letter aside, terribly unsettled. "I understand. I don't know how, but I understand. However… I missed you, Len. There were times I really needed you here."

"I'm sorry." He looked at me, and I could feel his apology more than I could hear it. It broke my heart a little, which surprised me. I thought my heart was broken a long time ago.

Clearing my throat, I said a bit more cheerfully, "I read all your books, you know. I never did tell you that. I loved them."

He smiled warmly. "Th-Thank you. They're not all that great."

I hopped up and joined him by the bookcase, running my hand along the spines of my novels until they reached the _K_ section. "Here they are." I pointed out where his series nested, and Len looked at them all with nostalgia.

"I'm so glad you liked them," he said. "I tried to follow your trials, too, you know, when they were big enough to be in the newspapers. Whenever you made a statement to the press, I couldn't help but laugh. You always make it obvious how much you disliked the judge or the prosecutor or the press itself."

"I sure hope I did! I don't regret a single thing I said to those people."

A look of confusion spread over Len's face, and I watched as he slid out a novel that sat in the middle of the _Kagamines._ It was a book called _The Gavel_ and it was written by Nel Gankamie. "What's this book?" he asked inauspiciously.

"It's, uh, it's a courtroom drama," I answered. "It's with your books because—well, this is going to sound stupid." Thank God for poor lighting because I felt myself flush rather quickly. "I was in a bookstore a few years ago, and that book was in the 'New Releases' section. I read the first couple pages, and, well, it felt like your writing. I don't know. I bought it and read the entire thing, and I can't explain it. It just _sounded_ like you. Writers have pennames all the time, so I figured maybe you wrote it. It was published during that time you took a break, too. Plus—you should know this—I'm very good at anagrams, and Nel Gankamie isn't a difficult one." I finished my conspiracy theory with a confident nod.

Len laughed. "I can't believe it. I can't believe you have this," he opened it up, and the page he happened to land on was the dedication. My heart sped up. I knew what he was looking at.

 _"For M."_ it said.

He carefully closed the book and put it back in its rightful place, silent as death. I mean, _"M."_ could apply to someone he met down south or God-knows-where. _"M."_ could be anyone. Absolutely anyone. I looked at the floor, eerily aware of how close he was standing. I was about to take a step back when he said breathlessly, "Surely. Surely you know."

My breathing stopped. Slowly, I met his eyes. We always were the same height. And his hair glowed gold along with the room and his eyes were piercing and I know I said I wasn't in love with him anymore and I know I said I wasn't pathetic but this was the night before the final battle and this may be our last chance and my entire existence was fading and this sense of foreboding kept brewing in my stomach and Yuka's words swirled around in my mind—" _Don't you owe it to him just as much as yourself?"_

But it wasn't about owing anything.

Trembling slightly, I took a step closer, placing my hands gently on his shoulders, and before I could decipher his expression, I pressed my lips softly against his. A kiss over two decades in the making. My life never felt more fulfilled than in that moment. Everything was worth it. Everything. I pulled away. I didn't want to, but I had to say something.

"Len," I said.

"Y-Yeah?" His eyes were saucers. I could feel his heartbeat.

"I love you, but I'm also _in_ love with you, which is very unfortunate."

He didn't ask how or why that was possible but merely said, "I feel the same." Then he kissed me, and the world disappeared again and somewhere in there Meiko's slave knocked but I didn't answer and she left the papers on my doorstep. I was too lost to even notice. Lost in a good way. Lost in a found way.

The war ended tomorrow, and fire was the only emotion I felt.


	23. Final Examination

I read once that in the moments before a battle commenced, there was a silence which would take hold of the field and fill each and every person there with solemnity. A preparedness for the possibility of death. An observance of the possibility of someone else's death, brought about by your own sword. I was the first one at the courthouse that morning. The guard had to let me into the courtroom himself. There, I sat in the seat I had grown to know so well over these past months and stared at the scales of justice hanging over the judge's bench. The glimmering medallion itself was slightly crooked, so the scales were no longer balanced. However, it did not designate which side it was favoring.

It was silent. I clenched my hands. Unclenched. Clenched. When I closed my eyes, I could see the end, a jury member standing, saying the words, but I could not grasp any future beyond that. If someone asked me where I saw myself in a year, a month, a week, I would have shaken my head. No, there was no future. Only _now._

Now.

My silence was broken by someone pushing through the courtroom doors. Heels clacked. I knew who it was.

"Good luck, Ms. Ursa," I said, eyes still closed.

"And to you, Ms. Hidari," she replied. Her chair screeched against the floor. "You're here rather early."

"So are you." A moment passed. "You don't seem so hellbent on winning anymore."

"I will be coming at you with everything I have," Meiko rebutted. "A guilty verdict is not necessarily a win, however. A confession is the only way I want to be victorious."

"A confession from whom?"

"It's funny. All I used to think about was climbing up the department ladder, but for whatever reason, the future seems far away right now."

I was about to reiterate my question when the doors opened again, and the crowd flooded in. Willing my eyes open, I watched them all with sharp contempt. They, in their own ways, brought us here. The media circus which convicted him before he was even charged, the bystanders making allegations to themselves and to their friends, eating everything the press tells him like it was gospel. I couldn't stand them, and yet I couldn't hate them either. Hate was reserved for one person only.

At last, my team appeared. They had that look on their faces, the look of silence, and took their positions with their heads held high. When my and Len's eyes met, we both turned shyly away. Some undeterred soldiers we were.

"You ready?" Yuka asked.

"More than ever," I answered.

"Leeeen," Rin drawled. I was glad she was her usual pesky, happy self.

"Y-Yeah?" Len replied, a bit jumpy.

"I've been meaning to ask. Where were you last night? You didn't get back to the apartment until it was reeeeally late…"

He burned a bright red. "U-Uh, uh." He stole a glance toward me.

"Something's going on here," Rin observed with a devilish smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Len said. "I was just at the… library."

"Isn't that the excuse you gave our parents that one time we all snuck into that haunted factory when we were teenagers?"

"No. I think you must be remembering wrong."

I suppressed my laughter semi-successfully, that is, until I saw the final member of the cast gracefully take her seat. Mothy Star spared me a glance, amusement gleaming in her eyes. Normally, fear would take hold of me at the sight of her, but today I held my ground.

"Is something wrong?" Len asked timidly.

Tearing my eyes away from her, I smiled at him and said, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." From under the table, I took hold of his hand, hoping to convey all the emotion that welled inside of me with one gesture. Then the door to the judge's chamber opened, and the horn of battle filled the room with its cry, and by cry I mean silence. Everyone was filled with silence.

"A very interesting document found its way onto my desk this morning," Kaito announced. He had a funny little smile on his face. Anticipation forced a tremor into his hands as he smoothed out the article in question. "It is a request that the prosecution, who has already rested her case, be permitted one last witness whose cooperation was not accommodating until recently. What's more, under that there is a signed consent of the defense. Ms. Hidari, you would like the prosecution to call another witness?"

"I would, Your Honor," I said.

From behind me, Yuka sharply inhaled. "What are you doing?" she whispered. I kept my eyes trained forward.

"Since the defense has agreed, there should be no issue with it, correct?" Meiko asked.

"I see. It would seem one of you has made a terrible mistake. I, for one, can't wait to find out who." He whacked his gavel against the wood and declared, "The court has no objections. Call up your witness, Ms. Ursa."

"The prosecution invites Mothy Star to the stand."

Electricity surged through the room, as the press scribbled down their riveted notes and the bystanders murmured their confused excitement. Mothy stood up, face as still as stone, and stepped into the open space before the bench with unfaltering grace. Her black lace dress dragged on the floor, and her stark white hands rested soullessly at her sides. As she sat down, her tearful eyes turned upward toward the crowd, but to me, at least, they never emanated the warm vulnerability of grief.

"Your name and relation to the victim, please," Meiko commanded. Unsuccessfully, I tried to pinpoint her motive in putting Mothy up to the stand. What information could she provide? I had an idea of what was to come, and it completely contradicted The Bear's somewhat twisted sense of justice.

"Mothy Star. Miki was my daughter," she replied. To describe her voice was like to describe a blizzard. Billowing, isolating, yet somewhat beautiful. Was I the only one who felt the chill from her? I looked over to Len. He seemed deep in thought.

"A question for the record: Why didn't you come to the DA with your testimony earlier?"

"I, quite frankly, did not want to relive that day," she answered. Her head lulled when she spoke. "I thought the prosecution had sufficient evidence. However, in recent days I have feared that the defense has managed to twist the events so horribly that even twelve good-minded people might be deceived."

"Bold words," Meiko said. "What information do you have regarding the case?"

"It's quite simple. I was there."

The observers broke out into a rumble. I heard Rin from behind me mumble, "What's this bitch's deal?"

"Define 'there,' Ms. Star," Meiko continued.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning." Mothy adjusted her sitting position, as if she were settling down for a lengthy opera. "My daughter came to me the day of her—of her murder. It was around 6:30 in the evening. She was frightened, and Miki was not easily frightened. She told me that Len Kagamine had asked her to meet him at a strange location. A warehouse. I told her that was indeed strange, and she shouldn't go. However, she insisted. She said something about not wanting to upset him. I was worried, naturally, so I told her I would drive her there. Calm her down. Stay outside the warehouse until she was safely inside. I did just that. I drove her there, and we arrived around 7. She was shaken but had taken ahold of herself.

"That man was standing by the doorway. He saw us, waved, and smiled that little boy smile of his. Before I could stop her, she got out of the car, and they both looked at me until I pulled away. That was the last time I saw my daughter." Choked-up anger seized her voice. "That is, until they dredged her up from the river."

"Ms. Star, you have been through a lot," Meiko said flatly. "My sincerest thanks for coming here today."

"I apologize for not testifying sooner," Mothy replied. "I have been trying to suppress the guilt, you see."

"Is that all you wish to say?"

"Does defending a murderer make you one yourself?" she asked.

Clench. Unclench. "Not in a court of law, Ms. Star," Meiko said.

"That is all."

Kaito ran his hand through his blue hair in contemplation. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. What was their relationship exactly? I had thought for the longest time that every human being on this planet was Kaito Taro's inferior, but looking at the both of them—Mothy could not be inferior to anyone. Not really. "Interesting," he commented. "Ms. Hidari, the witness is yours."

Standing up, feeling her eyes shift toward me, it was more like I was the witness's. The realization that this could be the final nail in Len's coffin or the final piece of his vindication placed a cold stone in the pit of my stomach. It was no longer _"The things I haven't said to him."_ It was now _"I cannot lose him again."_ Loss. Loss. Anything but that.

"Ms. Star," I started, "Good morning."

"Good morning," she replied coldly.

"I want to begin with asking you how old Miki was when you adopted her."

"I believe that is a leading question," Mothy said.

I waited for Meiko to agree, but she merely pursed her lips. "My apologies. Was Miki your biological daughter?"

"No. She's adopted."

"How old was she when you adopted her?"

"Seven." She enunciated the word very carefully.

"Seven. A popular number these days, isn't it?"

"It's lucky, I suppose."

"In some cultures. Ms. Star, how old are you now?"

"49."

"Your address?"

"4977 Josephine Way."

"And what district do you live in?"

"The 7th."

"Your birthday?"

"July 7th."

"You really like the number 7, don't you?"

"The date of my birth, I can hardly control," Mothy said with a sly smile. "In regard to the others, well, it's a lucky number, as I said."

"Do you enjoy things with symbolic meaning, Ms. Star? The number 7, for example. You like it for its symbolic meaning."

"Yes, I suppose so. I hardly know what this has to do with anything, though."

"Let's just set that aside for now." I retreated to my table and rifled around in some papers. "On the subject of your birth, here I have your birth certificate. I hope you forgive me; I searched through the archives on you." I set the certificate in front of her.

"That's perfectly alright. I did the same on you."

"We can discuss that on another day. I found this certificate in one of the many archives I checked."

"And?"

"And, that's it. This is the only document on Mothy Star I could find anywhere, besides your job application for the courthouse, where you work as a clerk, correct?"

"Correct."

"The insurance agency listed on your application has no record of you. Your residencies could be traced to 18 years ago, but then they vanish. Where were you born, Ms. Star?"

"Down South."

"What town specifically?"

"A place called Apothecary."

I nodded to Yuka behind me. She understood what I was asking. "When did you move to Ava?"

"18 years ago."

"Your mother's name?"

"What does it matter?"

"Your mother's name?"

"Gumi."

"Funny."

"Why?"

"I think you know why."

"I believe the defense is being antagonistic," Mothy observed.

"Ms. Hidari," Yuka called me over.

"A moment." I sped over to my partner and conversed with her briefly. Turning back to the court, I said, "It would seem there is no town named Apothecary in the Southern states of this country of ours. In fact, there is none in the entirety of the country."

"Not possible." She waved it off like a fly. "What is your point anyway, Ms. Hidari?"

"My point is that you seemed to have sprung into existence 18 years ago, the year you adopted your daughter. Before that, there is no record of you at all."

"It's a small town. It's not on all maps."

We stared at each a moment, two bulls refusing to recede an inch of momentum. She wasn't budging. I had to move on. "Alright, I have some questions about the testimony you gave Ms. Ursa earlier."

"And I'm sure you will grace us with them."

"I am just trying to get the events straight in my head. So, your daughter visited you at your house. Does she do this often?"

"Occasionally."

"She told you she was afraid of Len Kagamine. You tell her not to go, and yet you still drive her there? If you didn't think she was safe, why didn't you force her to stay, instead of providing transportation?"

"She was adamant on going. A very headstrong girl. She was going to go anyway no matter what I said, so I wanted to at least accompany her there."

"Okay, so you get to the warehouse. Len is there, the man your daughter is afraid of, and you let her get out of the car, go to him, and then you drive away, leaving her there?"

"I cannot tell you why I did the things I did. The guilt has been eating away at me inside, I hope you trust that."

"What's more," I pressed on, "Why would Miki be so adamant on seeing him if she was so fearful in the first place?"

"She was in a state—"

"Wouldn't it be a far more likely story that the person who invited her there was someone she trusted? Why else would someone go to an abandoned warehouse during the night?"

"I believe the psychologists have already testified, Ms. Hidari," she said. "And I speculate why the prosecution has not objected to these clearly questionable lines of questioning."

"The prosecution will object when we will it," Meiko responded. It was strange. I had almost forgotten that she and the rest of them were there.

"Let's think back a little," I continued. "You said that dropping Miki off at the warehouse was the last time you saw her. Do you recall the last time you saw her _before_ the day of her murder?"

"Th-The last…" Mothy seemed a bit overwhelmed for the first time. This had been the longest cross-examination of the trial, but I figured she would withstand the pressure slightly longer. "Three days beforehand."

"Did you meet somewhere?"

"Yes, at a café."

"What did you discuss?"

"Nothing. Trivial things. What else do mothers and daughters talk about?"

"Did she seem afraid?"

"Yes, a little bit."

"Did she have her journal with her?"

"Her journal? I don't remember."

I brought over a document to the podium. "Here I have a signed statement from someone who the court already knows. Lily Mosh. She was unwilling to testify again but agreed to signing the paper laid before you. Read it aloud, please."

She looked down on it like she was looking at a bug. _"'Miki came home three days before her death, very shaken. It would seem someone had ruined her personal journal, but she would not talk about the incident in immense detail.'"_

"Did you witness her journal's destruction?" I asked.

"I don't remember."

I walked over to the jury and held up Mothy's job application. Then, I set it before the woman herself. "Did you write on this application, Ms. Star?"

She shook her head a few times, processing what I asked. "Yes, I must have."

"All of it?"

"All of it."

"Your handwriting is very lovely. Unique, wouldn't you say?"

"I suppose it is."

To jury, I held up the list of names found in Miki's journal. To Mothy now. "Wouldn't you say the handwriting on this document and the writing on the resume are distinctly similar."

Squinting, she looked it over. "I couldn't say."

"Really? I mean, it's nearly identical."

"I think that calls for an objection." But the prosecution did not budge. "Fine. I guess it is similar."

I went to the jury and held up both papers side-by-side. "Similar, indeed. Do you say you did not write this list of names?"

"I did not," she replied.

"I should probably inform the court that this list of names was found in Miki's ruined journal. The defense has it in its possession." I showed them the journal and its ripped pages. "Also, as you can see, three names have been blotted out on this paper thanks to water stains. Found in front of this list was a card." Up goes the number _7._ "With an all too familiar number. The names on the list itself is something to speculate at. Here we have 'Len Kagamine, Rin Kagamine, Gumi, Miku T.' Gumi. Where have we heard that name mentioned?"

"I would like to know what you are insinuating," Mothy said, staring at the documents with an eerie calm.

"I'm sure it will become rather clear. The last unaddressed name on the list is Miku. I understand that Miku was Miki's friend, yes? She died."

"Yes. She died." Mothy and Kaito exchanged a glance which did not go unnoticed.

"Would you like to read some of your daughter's journal entries, or would you believe me when I say that she was investigating foul play regarding her death?"

"I believe you."

"So, three days before Miki's murder, this journal containing information regarding Miku's death was violated. What's more, someone sent her these names and a number 7, which seemed to spur on this investigation, pointing her to at least the three other names listed here."

"I suppose you are correct."

"She was investigating a possible murder and then was murdered." I spoke slowly. "This brings up a possibility of another suspect. The person who killed Miku."

"What if Len Kagamine killed Miku?" Mothy speculated haughtily.

"Impossible," I refuted, slapping down a few more papers. The podium was almost spilling over with them now. "Miku died on February 8th, 7 years ago. During that time, Len Kagamine was on a trip with his college class in the mountains."

"I still do not understand what you are insinuating. All this information—you expect anyone to know what you mean?"

"I mean one thing and one thing only, Ms. Star. Len Kagamine is innocent, and there is much more to this case than a rejected boy losing his marbles in warehouse. The defense rests."

I walked back to my table, sat down, and let out a sigh of relief. Exhaustion overtook me, but I could at least process the looks of pride on my friends' faces and the look of malicious satisfaction on Kaito Taro's.


	24. Deliberation

"And who else would the culprit be?" Meiko asked as she faced the jury, hands animated like they taught us in law school. She was winding down on her closing argument, quite possibly the most critical argument in the entire trial. If you must know, the first seven minutes of her soliloquy was as expected: summarizing, arguing, condemning. However, her heart, if the Bear ever had one, seemed strikingly lacking in her voice. I dared to ask myself why. Were prosecutors even capable of owning a conscience?

"The mother?" Meiko went on. "And what evidence is there of her involvement? The pain has gone on long enough. Do not subject Miki's family and friends to more grief by prolonging justice, by sending her murderer back into the arms of his loved ones. End it here. You have the power. Thank you." She strutted back to her seat, teetering slightly in her stilted heels.

I was obstinately staring at my hands when Kaito said, "Ms. Hidari, your closing."

My statement laid on the table in front of me. Its cursive words stared at me expectantly, and my mind desperately searched for better ones, better ways to convey every thought and emotion I had on Len Kagamine. But, there weren't enough minutes in a lifetime for that. So, I took one last glance at the three friends sitting around me and then made my way to the twelve strangers who had Len's life and mine in their hands—because my life was over if they came back with a guilty verdict. I could never go back to the way things were.

I spoke quietly, loudly enough for them to hear but not necessarily anyone else. After all, no one else needed to. "Firstly, I have to apologize to you, for keeping you away from your families during these turbulent times in Ava's ongoing history. I know it is difficult, but we ask you to hang in there longer. I can't force you to come back with a not guilty verdict. If I could, I would. I really would. However, that's not how this works. Now, at this point I should be summarizing for you everything wrong with the prosecution's case. I should go on and on about its completely circumstantial case, its lack of material witnesses, and the credibility of those called. That's what I was taught to do.

"I'm not going to talk about those things anymore. You've been here, diligently listening, discerning for yourself, so instead of all that, I want to tell you a personal story, if you don't mind. It's about the word 'justice.' It's what all of you are here to enact, right? Here's the thing, though. It doesn't exist. At least, that's what I told myself. I had quit criminal law, you see, until I received the call telling me about Len Kagamine. If someone would have asked me who the last person in the world to commit murder was, I would have said him. We're friends. You know this, thanks to Ms. Ursa's bold questioning.

"Anyway, justice. You know as well as I do that this city has its problems. You see it every day in the streets or in the news. Corrupt politicians, the rich and greedy controlling all aspects of life. The judiciary system is no different. It's not untouchable. What's more, every individual person has his or her own definition of the word 'justice,' so how are twelve strangers supposed to enforce it? What is 'it?' I've heard that it's admittance, that it's atonement, that it's love. So, you see the predicament, how justice in its purest form cannot exist in the world. That's the ending to this line of logic.

"So, what's the point, you ask? Why am I telling you this? It's because for the first time in my life, I can see it. Justice. Len Kagamine is innocent. I know this like my own face in the mirror. I know this beyond any doubt, let alone a reasonable one. Do you have doubts about about this man? Or are you certain that he's the murderer? If you vote guilty, you better be sure. Justice isn't about getting the hard parts over with. Justice isn't logical or objective. However, I think we can agree on one thing, that an innocent man should be free. No, justice doesn't exist, but let's will it into existence right here, right now. Thank you again. That's all I have to say."

I left them staring at an unfixed point in the distance and sat back down with a rush of relief and fear. I no longer could do anything. It was completely out of my control. A hand on my back, not a cold one pushing me off a ledge but a warm one. It was Len's. I didn't think it possible, but I mustered up a smile. God, save him. Anyone, save him.

"Members of the jury, you have an important task in front of you," Kaito said. "Good luck. Court dismissed."

An explosion of shouting. As the jury filed out, the bailiff came over to escort the prosecution and us through the enclosing crowd of reporters flooding into the aisle. Amidst the chaos, I could feel Kaito's eyes follow me for a moment before he must have gone back to his chambers. Whether he liked it or not, his power was worthless now, too.

"Do you believe Mothy Star is the killer?"

"What did you say in your closing argument? We could hardly hear you!"

"What are the prospects of the jury coming back with an acquittal?"

"The defense is confident that the innocence of Mr. Kagamine has been made evident," I shouted over the uproar, pushing past the cameras shoved in my face while maintaining my hold on Len's shoulder. Rin and Yuka were right behind me, and the four of us together waded to the closed-off parking garage with our bodies barely intact.

"It's over," Rin said, reprieve washing over her face.

"It's not," Yuka reminded her. "Here comes the worst part. Waiting."

We all stood there in a silent circle a moment, no one quite willing to branch off into their own cars and leave. I know _I_ didn't want to be away from these people, not now, which was a feeling I wouldn't have had three months previous. Len and I exchanged a look, and I piped up, "H-How about we all meet up at the office. We can spend some time there... together, like we used to."

"That's a wonderful idea," Yuka agreed.

"Yes, sounds great," Rin added.

"See you there," Len said. I had the urge to hug him but restrained myself.

As the previous night's events replayed in my head, I drove to the office with pink dusted across my cheeks. I arrived last, not all surprisingly. Honestly, I was a 27-year-old woman and I was acting like I had never even held the hand of a boy before. I felt silly but happy. On the stairs, I let out a short laugh. Happy.

But then I remembered the twelve strangers in that cramped little room, and I needed a moment to breathe.

"What took you so long?" Rin whined as I closed the door behind me.

"The traffic of Ava is an enigma," I replied. A set of letters were sitting on the table in front of the couch. "What are these?"

"We don't know," Yuka said. "They were on our doorstep when I arrived. Each envelope is addressed to one of the four of us. Strange how they knew we'd all be here."

"They?" Len asked.

"Whoever sent them, of course. Come on, let's open them."

"I don't know about this," Rin said as Yuka placed gave her an envelope. "It seems pretty sketchy."

As I received mine, I recognized immediately the seal. _T._ for Taro. "We have to see what's inside," I said.

Len looked at me worriedly. "Is this from…?"

I nodded and ripped mine open without another thought. Sure enough, that same cursive handwriting stretched across the paper in perfect loops.

 _Dearest Mayu,_

 _You may think the battle is over, but I must ask you to one final night at the Taro Estate. It is of the upmost importance that you attend. The upmost importance. Do not worry. There will be no chess games. In fact, I am throwing a little party. Be there dressed properly at 9 P.M. sharp._

 _Always a friend,_

 _Kaito Taro_

While I read, the others had opened theirs up as well. "What is this all about?" Rin asked in shock.

"Are all of you invited, too?" I said.

"What can he possibly want?" Len crumpled his up.

 _"'Dear Yuzuki, You are cordially invited to a little party at the Taro Estate. It is of the upmost importance that you attend. Be there dressed properly at 9 P.M. sharp. Sincerely, Kaito Taro,'"_ Yuka recited. "Is that what yours say?"

"Word-for-word, except the Yuzuki part," Rin confirmed.

"Mine, too," Len said.

"Mayu?"

"Y-Yes, basically."

"What? Is it different?" Rin craned her neck to see and I instinctively took a step back.

"A little bit, but not really."

"Let me see."

"No, it's basically the same. Don't worry about it."

Rin squinted at me and, before I knew it, pounced on me like a panther. Stunned, I couldn't in the least stop her from wrenching the letter out of my hands and speed-reading it. "What's up with all this 'my dearest' crap?" Rin asked.

Len took a step forward, and Rin gave the letter to him immediately. I didn't know what to say. It wasn't that bad, was it? Thinking about it now, I never did tell Rin or Yuka about my nighttime expeditions to the Taro Manor. "I can explain, Rin."

"What kind of relationship do you two have?" she demanded.

"Rin, this isn't the time to be accusing our friends," Yuka interjected pointedly. "We have enough to worry about."

"I'm asking for Len," Rin argued. "Because this is ridiculous. You would never… You would never go and…"

"Rin!" Yuka exclaimed.

"Everyone calm down!" We all turned to Len, who never shouted. Never. He walked over, handed me the letter, and stayed by my side. "It's fine, Rin. I know everything about Kaito Taro and the chess games and all that. Let Mayu explain."

Rin looked at him wide-eyed but nodded for me to go on. Quickly, I ran through everything relevant. Nothing about Miku or anything like that, not yet. Too much was already stuffed into our heads about the trial. Once I was finished, without even thinking, my hand slipped into Len's.

Rin lasered in on our hands like a machine. Yuka in the meantime caught on quickly, smiling to herself and scratching the back of her head awkwardly. Rin was still lasering. "Wait," she said. "What?"

Len and I both began to say something, realized we were interrupting each other, and then stopped speaking altogether. The air conditioner blared loudly.

"Len… you… scoundrel!" Rin shouted. Her mood had shifted so quickly, I wondered if I was half in a dream. She floated over and poked our intertwined hands, then Len's face. "You absolute scoundrel. You didn't want to tell me where you were last night for this reason, hm, hm? Hmmmm? You didn't think to tell your dear sister that her dreams had finally come true, hm? Oh, no, don't tell little Rin. It's not like she's been behind-the-scenes pushing for this for the past quarter of a century or anything."

I didn't recall being on trial, but there I was, convicted and on death row, being sizzled by the chair at top voltage. "Um—" I started.

"Take good care of my brother, you hear?" Rin was giving her blessing. "And you, you inferno of sexual desire, you treat my soul sister like a _lady!_ If you get too comfortable, I will _feel_ it. I will _know._ I will be _watching._ Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Len responded in great fear.

"My pleasure," I said.

"Okay, my children. I'm calm now that the happiness of two of my best friends is ensured…" she trailed off.

Oh, yeah. The trial.

The trial.

The four of us felt it all at once. Cruel, huh? I can think of something crueler now, but back then, I couldn't. Nothing could be worse than a guilty verdict. Nothing, besides the death penalty.

The air conditioner made a screeching noise, and we all sat down in quiet reservation. We waited for the call.

The jury could have, in theory, been in that deliberation room for months. Anyone could tell you that an early jury decision meant almost always guilty. Almost always.

We got the call at 2 P.M. the next day.

"Okay, so, the kidnapping charge was already dropped by the prosecution when they brought in Mothy as a witness," I explained to Len as I nervously straightened his tie. We were already in the courtroom, the press coming in bursts, depending on how reliable their network of spies in the courthouse was. "You're getting off on mutilation of a corpse, undoubtedly. Ms. Ursa barely even touched upon it. False imprisonment—no, it doesn't matter. Absolutely nothing matters except for the 1st degree murder charge. If you're found guilty for that, it's life or death. Life imprisonment or death row. Do you understand? Are you nervous? Don't be nervous."

"Mayu, it's going to be alright."

"No, it's not. No, it's not. Wait—I mean, yes, it is. What am I saying? Of course everything's going to be alright. Don't worry. You shouldn't worry."

"Mayu."

"Yeah?"

"I believe in you. I'm going to be alright."

I looked at him, unsure if he was telling the truth or trying to make me feel better. _Me,_ feel better? God, what kind of attorney was I? "That's right," I said pridefully. "My case was flawless, after all."

I was freaking out.

Rin put her hands on Len's shoulders. "Let's celebrate tonight, okay?"

"What about Taro's invitation?" he asked.

"Of course we're not _going!_ "

"She's right," Yuka agreed. "We shouldn't go."

I turned away from them, running my finger along the grain of the wooden table. Kaito Taro's invitation… It would be silly to go. The verdict would already be given, right? There was no reason to subject myself to that man's antics any longer. No reason at all.

"All rise!"

All rose.

Kaito Taro waltzed in with spirits soaring high, as far as I could tell. He looked at the four of us sitting there with great expectation in his gaze, then at Meiko. "You may be seated."

We sat.

"The jury may come in."

The jury came in.

"The jury may state their verdict."

The entire room leaned in with bated breath. The twelve members of the jury weren't making eye contact with anyone. Not good. Blood rushed to my head, and I was momentarily blinded. However, I did not faint. Thank God.

A man stood on the far end of the bench, the designated speaker of the twelve. He held the paper in his hands with great conviction, and the rest of them looked on with varying degrees of assurance. The world was noiseless, and then there were words.

"The jury finds Len Kagamine, on the charge of mutilation of a corpse, not guilty."

God, I'm falling. I'm falling. I can't take it.

"The jury finds Len Kagamine, on the charge of false imprisonment, not guilty."

My life, my entire life, had led up to this moment. Law school, it was all for this. All for this.

"The jury, on the charge of murder, finds the defendant—"

I was about to stand up, tell them to stop.

"Not guilty."

The world was noiseless, and then there was noise.


	25. The Rain Stopped

Not guilty, and yet it wasn't over.

Not guilty, and yet here I was.

In the midst of all the paperwork and media buzz of that morning, I told Yuka and Rin that I would be late to the celebration of Len's exoneration. Of course, I didn't tell them I wouldn't be going altogether because first of all, I already felt like a complete douche about it and second of all, they would have known automatically where I was heading instead. Len said that it was fine if I was a little late, but skepticism clouded his eyes and words and everything he did for the rest of the time we were together.

Not guilty, and yet I couldn't let it go.

What did Yuka call it, again? A hero complex, right. Yeah, I guess her intuition never failed. However, I liked to think, as I sat in my car on the Taro Estate, that I wasn't just doing this so I could get myself killed on the field of battle, or ruin my existing relationships with a lie. A multitude of mysteries hadn't been solved yet. I couldn't let it end here, could I?

My gun was still in my purse. This time, I was less confident on how its existence would affect my evening.

The black sky was void of stars. Even all the way out here, too much artificial light leaked through. The towering monolith that was Taro Mansion stood to my right, and I noticed for the first time how many cars were parked along the drive.

8:50. Time to move.

I counted six other vehicles tucked away along the cobblestone. As I passed one by, its engine whirred to life, causing my heart to leap out of my chest. It pulled onto the road and went off in a sea of smoke. With its headlights illuminating its silhouette, I realized that it was a prison bus. What on Earth…?

The walk up to the house was agonizing in my heels and the electrified air. I came dressed appropriately, as the invitation said. My black dress was like camouflage in the night. It must have hit 8:55 by now. Keep walking.

Approaching the double doors I recognized too readily, I knocked twice, but no one answered. I knocked again. Nothing. Curiously, I fiddled with the doorknob and it opened without a hitch. I was met with the foyer and six pairs of widened eyes.

"Mayu, what are you doing here?" Yuka asked. Wait, Yuka?

I numbly shut the door behind me. "I-I could say the same to you."

"You said you wouldn't come," she continued.

The next person that came into focus was Rin. She stood off near the staircase with a lipsticked frown. "So did you. Both of you," I replied.

"So, you were invited as well?" Another voice, then another face that I knew. Meiko Ursa sipped her wine with pronounced comfort.

"I was," I said, momentarily ignoring my concerned, hypocritical friends. "Do you know what this is all about?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," she said.

"It's probably about the end of the world," someone else said. A small person hopped out of the shadows. Gumi Megpoid. "Just kidding."

"Aren't you supposed to be in hiding?" I asked.

"Not anymore. My troops will be at the city limits by sunrise, not that I'll be around to see them."

I shook my head. "This is crazy. Who else is here?"

"Only that boorish police officer and a criminal," Meiko said.

And at that moment, a pair came out from one of the drawing rooms and into the foyer. Ah, a boorish police officer and a criminal. "Gakupo… Luka?" I was in a daze.

Luka, free from her chains but not her prison uniform, consumed me in a hug. "Mayu, what is going on? They took me from my cell without a word and transferred me here."

"I was asked to give the lady a tour of the first floor," Gakupo chirped from behind her. "Even though I've never been here before."

Yuka walked over to us. "You must leave now, Mayu," she asserted.

"Why?" I questioned, irked that she was giving me advice she had not taken herself.

Yuka pursed her lips in frustration, but before she could say anything else, the front doors opened and closed. Good Lord, who the hell else was left—

"Len?" I flew over to him immediately.

He scanned the room cautiously and then turned to me. "I thought you would be here," he said.

Now this changed some things. I looked over the man in front of me, and the danger of the situation felt very much more dangerous. This was no place for my Len. Not at all. "Maybe you're right, Yuka. We should leave. Everyone should," I said.

A voice from above. "Not so fast, dear Mayu. The party hasn't even started yet."

Kaito Taro was standing on a balcony overlooking the capacious foyer and snug between the two staircases that swept upward to the second floor. He wore a black suit and his iconic blue tie, of course. The look on his face, though I could barely make it out, was nothing like what I had seen before. It was… demented.

Swiftly, he made his way down the left stairs, adjusting his cufflinks as he went and saying, "Thank you all for coming tonight. I'm glad every single one of you could fit me into your busy schedules. Don't worry, the festivities will begin once I take care of a few things." Kaito now moved with the same celerity in the direction of the front door and me. Instinctively, Len stepped in front of me, but Kaito walked right past, sliding an archaic key out of his pocket and locking the front doors tight.

"Hey, what's this all about?" Gakupo asked nervously.

"I'll be taking this, Ms. Hidari." In two giant steps, Kaito maneuvered to me, nudged Len out of the way, and snatched my purse off my shoulder. Striding now to the center of the foyer, he emptied the contents until he found the gun. A collective gasp shook the room.

"Mayu…" Rin said in shock.

Kaito examined the pistol a second and then pointed it at Meiko. "Ms. Ursa, yours as well."

Teeth clenched, she slowly went through her own bag, took out a revolver, and slid it across the floor to his feet. Damn. Damn, damn, damn.

After picking the revolver up off the floor, Kaito emptied the bullets in one swoop and placed the empty guns into his pants pockets. "I have a rule about guns. They're a real downer after you've been killed by one."

"My apologies," Gumi sang.

"No matter. Come, everyone, to the ballroom."

Gumi obeyed immediately, and after a moment of exchanging glances, we had no choice but to follow. Subconsciously, Yuka, Rin, Len, and I gravitated toward each other, and the four of us strode into the supposed ballroom side-by-side.

 _Supposed_ ballroom, because this place was not as glittery as I imagined a ballroom to be. In fact, it was definitely more on the morbid side. The chandeliers which festooned the ceiling flickered dimly, not even providing enough light to see the walls. The marble floor reflected the darkness in a faint mirage, and I thought I was walking on a dark ocean all the way to the center of the space, where a velvet chair sat upon a toppled over rectangular box to create some kind of makeshift throne. Unwillingly, we had begun to form a circle around the peculiar centerpiece, and Kaito burst into the middle with regal satisfaction.

"Friends, friends, welcome," he said. "I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here, but you must have figured out it has something to do with the trial of Len Kagamine, which ended just this morning. I know all of you have been keeping up with it, yes? The list that Ms. Hidari brought into the courtroom was incomplete, as you know. Well, I brought you all here to put on display the complete copy which I have in my possession. The murderer gave it to me for safe keeping, you see. Ah, 'murderer' is far too general, since every one of you are, after all, murderers."

"I knew you were crazy," Meiko boomed, "but I didn't think it went this far. I should tell you all that I called the police before coming in here, informing them that there would be an assault at this address. They should be here any minute now."

"How could I have forgotten?" Kaito asked in mock panic. "Ms. Ursa, I also called the police earlier tonight. I invited the captain out for dinner sometimes next week. It _has_ been such a long time since I chatted with him and his lovely wife."

Meiko shook her head. "You're bluffing."

But we all knew he wasn't.

"Believe what you will, Ms. Ursa. Let's see where was I—? Yes, the list. Here we are." He pulled a card out of his pocket, and just by seeing its shape I knew it was the same as the one I found in Miki's journal. "The names are as follows: _Rin Kagamine_ , _Len Kagamine_ , _Gakupo Kamui_ , _Gumi Megpoid, Miku Taro, Meiko Ursa, Luka Megurine, Kaito Taro."_

"I think we should run," Len whispered to me.

"Wait," I replied. "Do you smell that?" Something was leaking out of the box where the throne sat.

Meanwhile, Luka had taken up interrogation. "That doesn't make any sense!" she shouted. "I have nothing to do with this!"

"Wrong," Kaito said. "You have just as much to do with this as anyone. From the moment you were born into this world, you were on this list, Luka Megurine. So were you, Meiko Ursa, and every single person here."

"Not Mayu or me," Yuka said.

"I was hoping someone would bring that up." He hopped on the box, still secreting an orangish liquid, and then sat down. "I still have no idea what to do with you two. Gumi, do you know why these two are here?"

"The boss has chosen to withhold that information," Gumi replied with a frown.

"See? Who knows? I'm sure we'll find out eventually. However, since this is _my_ justice party, I think I can invite anyone I choose."

Justice party? Cogs began to turn. Justice, justice…

"Alright, ladies and Len." Oh, great. Gakupo was talking. "Considering we have the numbers, I suggest we get the key from him and leave immediately."

"That's actually not a horrible idea," Rin said in astonishment.

"You're right. It _is_ a pretty good idea," Kaito interjected, pulling out the gun he confiscated from me out of his pocket and pointing it all around. "Or is it?"

"You emptied the bullets," I said.

"Ah, smart Mayu, observant Mayu, you're _right._ I emptied out Meiko's, too. Thank _God_ I brought my own." He reached under his chair and set the pistol he found there onto his lap. "Okay, any more objections from the defense?" I clenched my teeth, focusing back on the liquid pouring out onto the floor. The puddle nearly reached our feet now, and the others were beginning to notice it, too. "Good. Now, I'm sure you've noticed that someone is missing from this reunion. Don't worry. She just arrived."

Len tensed beside me. "Mothy? Is it Mothy?"

"No," I said. "It has to be…"

Kaito was stepping onto the floor and setting the velvet chair off the box. Now that I could see it fully, its shape took on a more sinister form. No, that wasn't a just a box, was it? It was most certainly a coffin. Everyone around me was struck silent and were forced to watch in horror as Kaito slid the lid off, and the withered form of a girl stared eyeless up at us. A pure white dress laid about her in waves. Her fingers, gray and emaciated but not completely decomposed, clenched around an artificial white rose.

"Oh, my God." Luka covered her mouth and then her nose. The smell was agonizing, death mixed with the rapidly spreading liquid—gasoline, it was definitely gasoline.

"Miku, I'm so glad you're here," Kaito said, kneeling down and caressing her darkened skull. "Now we can do what we came here to do."

"Let's knock this asshole out right now!" Meiko shouted. "I've had enough of this!"

Kaito stood up suddenly and, with a smile plastered on his face, took out a small container from his breast pocket. Opening it up, he took out a match and with a flick of his wrist spawned a flame onto it. My mind went blank, and then it went berserk. "Everyone, away from the gasoline!" I yelled.

But he was throwing it. But he was not throwing down. He threw it above Gakupo's head, and it hit the floor behind him with a fierce sound of rushing wind. Bright orange fire crawled into the air and spread to the walls. Swift as death, it climbed to the ceiling and the walls adjacent, and I realized that this entire room was rigged from the start to burn. The only part spared at this moment was the very center where we all stood.

A billowing laugh roared across the hall. We all looked at Kaito Taro, notorious and influential judge of Ava, and somewhere deep inside, we remembered each other. Or at least, remembered that we had always been in danger from the moment we were pulled into this mess, and we had helped each other at critical junctures such as these to escape certain death. Somewhere, we remembered, and yet most of us didn't even know each other's names.

"At last, it is accomplished!" Kaito shouted. "The seven sins brought together into one! Never has this happened before! Mothy will be very much pleased!"

The door had been completely engulfed in flames. I searched desperately, but we were trapped. Completely encompassed. "Tell us how to get out!" I pleaded. "Mothy killed your daughter, and you're helping her kill more people?"

"Mothy did not kill my daughter!" Kaito replied.

"She did, and you know it! You're glad she did, so you didn't have to do it yourself!"

"No more of this! I have done what was needed to be done. I will want for nothing by dawn. I'll have everything, absolutely everything, as Mothy promised. Everything a mortal desires. That's what life is about, right? That's what death is about, too." He sat on the wet ground and then laid on his back, thoroughly soaking his suit with gasoline. Next came the match, high in the air. Then the strike, then the fall, then the blaze. Someone screamed. Kaito Taro was burning to death, and he didn't make a sound.

The flame climbed the coffin, and soon enough Miku was on fire as well. Father and daughter, in one inferno. The rest of us had skirted along the marble flooring to stay safe. "Safe." Ha. Right.

Panic began to set in.

"This isn't happening," Rin said.

Meiko's face was contorted in anger. "It's happening. We're all dead. It's over."

"It can't be over," Len said, more to himself than to anyone.

I looked at him and then the fire, but my brain couldn't connect myself to this reality. What? We'd won the case, right? Not guilty, right? Where was I? Len and I were going to live the rest of our lives together, right? I'd continue my law practice with Yuka, continue on murder cases, just as my calling was. Len would write more books, and we would get married and—who knows?—maybe have a kid or two. The possibilities were endless. Rin would visit all the time, and the four of us would be just like we used to be. I could see it clearly in my mind's eye.

"Mayu," Len said.

"Huh?" I asked.

He stared at me with tears in his eyes and embraced me as I stood limply there. What? Why was he so upset? We won.

It sounded like we were in a wind tunnel, and then there was a ricketing above us. Gakupo yelled, "Get away from there!" and then one of the chandeliers came crashing into the floor. The impact sent gasoline splashing everywhere, and we all ducked away, even me in my catatonic state.

That's when reality kicked me in the ass. "We're really going to die," I said.

Yuka walked up to us, coughing, and said, "We're getting no cell reception. We could try breaking through the door, if the flames aren't hot enough—"

"No use," I interrupted. "He would have made sure we were trapped."

Rin was sitting on the floor, staring off into nothingness, and Len squatted down to talk to her. Meanwhile, Yuka was looking at me like she had never before, like she was an old, old woman, tired of the world, but clinging on for dear life anyway. "Mayu, I'm sorry."

"What? What are you sorry for?" I asked, feeling a little light-headed and sitting down myself. Yuka joined me.

"There's a lot you don't know about—about everything. You're going to find out soon enough, but I want you to know that I will always be your best friend. Always."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. And I'm yours, okay?" I leaned over and consumed her in a hug. She was crying. I kept a grip on myself, at least for the time being. Someone was coughing every few seconds now. The smoke would kill us before the flames, of course. We all knew that. The room flickered to the will of the flames. Every inch of the walls around us was covered. No way, no way out. The smell of smoke and the bodies made me gag.

"It's your fault!" Luka shouted. Yuka and I forced ourselves to our feet and observed the confrontation ensuing between Luka and Gumi, who laid down on the floor with a strange calmness. "Where's the exit? I know you and him made a way out!"

"I didn't know his plan," Gumi replied monotonously. "If you would please stop yelling. I am in the midst of a personal crisis."

"We are going to _die!_ " Luka continued. "I thought I was prepared for it. I had a year at the least. But I'm—I'm so _scared._ "

Gakupo placed a hand on her shoulder, and soon enough Luka was crying into him. Both of them at one moment looked at me, and I nodded in understanding. They had never met before, and yet I didn't find it at all strange that they were together right now. It was like a truth was bubbling up inside me, but I knew it was going to be too late before I could discover what it really was.

Gumi stared severely up at the blazing ceiling. "Why… Why is this so… unsatisfying?" she asked aloud. She closed her eyes.

She never opened them again.

I could hardly stand anymore. The room was muggy with smoke; I could barely see anyone anymore, even Yuka who was right beside me. My knees gave way, and Yuka helped lower me to the floor. Soon enough, she could hardly stand either. "I-I have to get back to Len," I croaked. God, my voice sounded so different.

"Go, go," Yuka replied. "And goodbye."

I couldn't hold the tears back anymore. "Goodbye."

Half-crawling, half-dragging myself up, I went back the direction Yuka and I came from. I realized with a pang to my heart that Yuka and I would never be doing anything together ever again. "Len!" I shouted. No other voices could be heard. "Len!"

"M-Mayu!"

I began to move more quickly, and at last I saw him through the smoke. He was holding Rin in his arms. She laid motionlessly there. Rin's big mouth was clenched closed now. I couldn't tell if this feeling inside me was dying or the sight of it all. "Len, oh my God."

"She's dead," he said.

I finished my trek to him, leaning against his shoulder and placing my hand on Rin's forehead. There was nothing to be said. After a minute or two or a thousand, he gently transferred her from his lap to the floor and in a daze placed her arms nicely across her stomach.

Sitting was too painful. My lungs ached. I laid down, and Len followed. We stayed there side-by-side as the flames encroached the entire estate. Yet, there were no sirens. No yelling firefighters, no squealing ambulances. Then I remembered that Gumi's forces were on the brink of invading. Ah, so that's why. Then I remembered that Gumi was dead.

"I'm—I'm terrified," Len rasped.

I turned on my side with great difficulty. "I'll see you soon."

"Really? Do you really believe that?" he asked.

I almost laughed, because the only words that came to mind were not my own. "Religious in the traditional sense, I am not. However—forces—I know for a fact that forces are at work in our lives. Especially _our_ lives. I've seen them with my own two eyes."

"I love you."

Taking in a shuddering breath, I kissed him once, pulled away, and died.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I woke up in a royal blue room, and I was filled with unimaginable—indescribable rage.

"What the _hell!"_ I let out a scream at the top of my lungs. "You fuckers! You _fucking bastards,_ take me back!" I kicked the wall. "Take me back! It's not fair! Take me back!"

No one responded.

"Tell me if he makes it! Tell me he made it! The ambulances—anybody? P-Please, take me back."

No one.

Sobs wracked my body. "Take me back, take me back. It can't end this way."

There was a sharp pain in my skull, and I was very confused all of a sudden. Where was I? Who—Who am I?

I opened my eyes again and now the room was different. It was all black, and other people were there.

I knew these people.

I sat up.

I knew these people.


End file.
